The Geminga pulsar is unique among gamma-ray pulsars in having a precise andcontinuous, phase-connected ephemeris from 1973 up to the present. Since thedemise of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory in June 2000, the only practicalmethod of maintaining Geminga.s ephemeris has been with X-ray observations. Ourcontinuing XMM ephemeris has made possible several ground-based searches forpulsations, from radio to very high energy gamma-rays. This is the final requestfor our XMM program on Geminga in order to make a precise phase connection withGLAST, which will be launched in 2008 and will continue the ephemeristhereafter. (We thought that this program would be finished in AO6 but thelaunch of GLAST was delayed, necessitating this additional proposal.)
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2008-10-03T13:25:50Z/2009-03-10T19:09:42Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Prof Jules Halpern, 2010, 'Connecting the Ephemeris of the Geminga Pulsar to GLAST', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-ngxtagh
