The Hitomi Mission, also known as ASTRO-H, is a space observatory launched on February 17, 2016. The mission is a joint project between NASA, the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The primary goal of the mission is to study X-ray emission from astronomical objects in order to better understand their physical properties.
The Hitomi Observatory consists of four main instruments: the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXRT), the Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT), the Soft Gamma-Ray Detector (SGD), and the Hard X-ray Imager (HXI). The SXRT and HXT are designed to observe soft and hard X-rays, respectively, while the SGD and HXI are designed to detect gamma rays.
TheHitomi Mission was named after the Japanese word for “eye”, in reference to its ability to observe objects with unprecedented clarity. The name was chosen by a panel of judges from over 3,000 entries in a public contest held by JAXA.
As of March 2020, the Hitomi Mission is ongoing and has made several important discoveries. For example, using data from the SXRT, astronomers have been able to measure for the first time ever how fast electrons are moving in an accretion disk around a black hole. This will help us better understand how black holes grow and evolve over time.
In addition, data from all four instruments has been used to create some of the most detailed images of supernova remnants ever taken. These images have allowed astronomers to study in detail how these objects interact with their surrounding environment.