Small telescopes and research from space

Extract

The number of artificial satellites dedicated to astrophysical research is increasing rapidly. Nearly 30 satellites currently under development or in the early planning stages will be in orbit within 10–12 years and will have more sensitive detectors and better data-processing technology as a result of current research. Many of the galactic and extragalactic objects discovered by the new technology are variable on surprisingly short time scales ranging from sub-seconds to many months. The new variable objects include but are not confined to: neutron and binary stars; quasars (and associated active centers of galaxies); newborn infrared stars and associated clouds; the coronal activity of main sequence stars; cataclysmic variables (white dwarfs in binaries); and novae, supernovae and remnants. We now realize that the short time-scale variations of many unusual stars and active galactic nuclei demand that ground and space data be taken as close in time as possible and that they be carefully planned and coordinated.