About AstroSat Mission:
- It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in the X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously.
- AstroSat, with a lift-off mass of 1515 kg, was launched on September 28, 2015, into a 650 km orbit by PSLV-C30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- AstroSat carries a total of five scientific payloads enabling imaging, studying the temporal and spectral properties of galactic and extra- galactic cosmic sources in a wide range of wavelengths on a common platform.
- One of the unique features of AstroSat mission is that it enables simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.
- The spacecraft control centre at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) ofISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, manages the satellite during its entire mission life.
- The main scientific objectives of AstroSat mission are:
- To understand the high energy processes in interacting binary systems with a compact object accreting matter from a companion star.
- Study star birth regions and high-energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy.
- Detect new transient X-ray sources in the sky.
- Perform a limited deep-field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region.
What is the Black Hole X-ray Binary?
- It is an interaction between a black hole, a super-dense object with gravity so strong that even light cannot escape, and a normal star, much like our own Sun.
- These two are locked in a gravitational embrace, orbiting each other.
- The black hole, being the heavier partner, exerts a powerful pull on the normal star, literally sucking matter away from it.
- This stolen matter does not fall straight into the black hole, but, instead, forms a swirling disk around it, like water swirling down a drain.
- As this disk spins faster and faster, it gets incredibly hot, reaching millions of degrees.
- This intense heat causes the matter to glow brightly, emitting powerful X-rays that we can detect here on Earth with our telescopes.
- These X-ray binaries are a reminder that, even though black holes are often thought of as dark and mysterious, they can create spectacular displays of light and energy, revealing their presence across vast distances.
