Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

XMM Launched

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 21, 1999 is “XMM Launched,” an image. It is credited to Drawing Credit: D. Ducros, XMM Team, ESA. The original explanation runs about 147 words.

XMM Launched
Credit: Drawing Credit: D. Ducros, XMM Team, ESA Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“X-ray astronomy entered a golden age earlier this month with the successful launch of the X-ray Multi-Mirror (XMM) satellite. XMM ‘s three huge telescope barrels each hold 58 concentric cylindrical mirrors, together totaling a surface area rivaling a tennis court .”

— APOD editors, December 21, 1999

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
December 21, 1999
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Drawing Credit: D. Ducros, XMM Team, ESA
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 147 words

All of December 1999 → · 1999 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Galaxies

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: December 21 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.