eROSITA reveals a new, energetic view of the sky

The energetic universe as seen with the eROSITA X-ray telescope. Image credit: Jeremy Sanders, Hermann Brunner and the eSASS team (MPE); Eugene Churazov, Marat Gilfanov (on behalf of IKI).   The eROSITA X-Ray telescope has just completed its first all-sky survey, revealing a spectacular vision of the hot and energetic universe. The result has created a new map for astronomers, with this new survey capturing over one million objects – far exceeding the number discovered by previous X-ray telescopes. 

The success of eROSITA is particularly significant for AAL and the Australian astronomers involved with the project, who have been collaborating with eROSITA’s international partners since before the telescope was put into orbit in July 2019. AAL is proud to represent all astronomers at Australian institutions via the agreement that makes these collaborations possible, signed between AAL and the German eROSITA Consortium (eROSITA_DE).  

The partnership with eROSITA_DE provides exciting new opportunities for multi-wavelength astronomy projects across the southern sky, with Australian astronomers able to undertake collaborative projects overseen by the joint AAL/eROSITA_DE Management Committee, see here for more information. A list of participating Australian facilities and institutions, plus updates on the eROSITA mission, can be found here.

Data collected by this first all-sky survey will no doubt keep the Australia-eRosita research collaborations busy for years to come. In the meantime, eROSITA continues to sweep the sky, having already started its second all-sky survey. 

For more on Australia’s collaboration with the eROSITA mission, please follow this link or contact:

• Dr Matt Owers, Lead Scientist for the Australian eROSITA collaboration, or 
• Dr Lucyna Chudczer, AAL’s eROSITA Program Manager.