NASA to Announce Extraordinary Stellar Discovery

WASHINGTON - At a NASA Science Update Monday, May 7, at 2 p.m. EDT, astronomers will announce new findings about a record-breaking stellar event discovered using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The event will be held in the auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St., S.W., in Washington and will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed at http://www.nasa.gov.

Media at participating NASA centers will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as the remnants of exploded stars. Along with the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the now de-orbited Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, Chandra is one of NASA’s “Great Observatories.”

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., is responsible for the day-to-day flight operations and science activities for Chandra from the Operations Control Center and Chandra X-ray Center facilities.