Primeval clusters of galaxies and the X-ray background

Extract

The X-ray telescope for HEAO-B, due for launch next year, will extend our observing power in X-ray astronomy by a very large factor. For example, its sensitivity to point sources will be 10³ greater than the limit of existing X-ray sky surveys. Even more intriguing will be its capability to image the all-sky X-ray background radiation on an arc minute or sub arc minute scale. the origin of this background is still a mystery. the simplest hypothesis, that it is the integral of radiation from the more distant members of the classes of discrete X-ray sources such as clusters of galaxies, Seyferts, QSO's and other active galaxies, can only explain part of the background.