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cosmic X-ray background
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Canes Venatici; Chandra X-ray Observatory
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Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
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Canes Venatici; Chandra X-ray Observatory
Canes Venatici; Chandra X-ray Observatory Image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory depicting approximately 36 X-ray sources in the constellation Canes Venatici.

cosmic X-ray background

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cosmic X-ray background, X-ray radiation pervading the universe. In 1962 the first X-ray detectors were flown above Earth’s X-ray-absorbing atmosphere in a sounding rocket. In addition to discovering the first cosmic X-ray source, Scorpius X-1, astronomers were also puzzled by a uniform glow of X-rays with energies greater than 1.5 keV (1 keV = 1,000 electron volts) coming from all directions. The radiation did not appear to arise from identifiable objects. The X-ray background seemed to be extragalactic, and a uniform plasma at a temperature of roughly 108 K was a possible source. (Italian-born American physicist Riccardo Giacconi, who led ...(100 of 335 words)

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