Detector, AXAF, Microchannel Plate
Social Media Share Tools
Object Details
- Manufacturer
- Phillips Electro-optics
- Summary
- This is a microchannel plate array from an interim version of the X-ray detector intended for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facilty (AXAF). The Einstein X-ray telescope satellite (HEAO-2), launched in 1978, was the first to be equipped with a high resolution imager (HRI) to visualize the structure of astronomical X-sources. The overall detector included this microchannel plate backed by a cross-grid detector. The plate converted incident X-ray photons to electrons and amplified them by orders of magnitude. The signal was picked up by the cross grid detector and its strength and location used to build an image of the source. The X-Ray Astronomy group at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory designed and built this scaled-up version of the HRI on the way to building the imager that was installed on the final version of the AXAF which was named Chandra just before its launch. This microchannel plate is a model closely related to those used in military night vision devices. SAO transferred it to NASM in 2002.
- Credit Line
- Transferred from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Harvard University.
- Inventory Number
- A20020290001
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- INSTRUMENTS-Scientific
- Materials
- Ceramic
- Aluminum
- Glass
- Copper Alloy
- Plastic
- Dimensions
- 3-D: 13.3 × 10.8 × 2.2cm (5 1/4 × 4 1/4 × 7/8 in.)
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A20020290001
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Not determined
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv94df3185d-8d18-4e05-81cc-b5bd910bf35a
Related Content
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.