Conference 7.286::space

606.0. "Soviet GRANAT observatory" by WILKIE::BIRO () Mon Apr 02 1990 17:22

SPACE RESEARCH CONTINUES ON BOARD SPACE OBSERVATORY 29/3 TASS 25

MOSCOW MARCH 29 TASS - By TASS correspondent:

An International Space Observatory, GRANAT, put into orbit
around the earth on December 2, 1989, continues to carry out the
planned programme of research of stars, galaxies, the Sun and
space sources of x-ray and gamma-ray bursts.

Thirty-two sessions of observations each 20 to 46 hours long
were conducted in February and March 1990 from on board the space
apparatus.  X-ray images of a gigantic cluster of galaxies in the
perseus constellation have been received and the temperature of
intergalaxy gas there has been measured.

The Mapping of our galaxies center has been carried out.
Periods of rotation of neutron stars -- x-ray pulsars in
Hercules, Cassiopeia, Persesu and Centaurus have been measured.

On the night of March 18, when the GRANAT observatory was
150,000 km away form the earth, all its instruments 
registered a unique power burst form the sun which lasted for
several hours.

Once in several days, the observatories instruments register
gamma-bursts.  The information received from on board the 
satellite is processed an analyzed at Soviet Academy of
Sciences Space Research Institute and laboratories in France,
Denmark and Bulgaria.

Technical experiments are carried out during the flight
which expanded the number of examined objects.  In April, it
is planned to continue the research of our galaxies center, x-ray
pulsars an active galaxies nuclei    ITEM ENDS