An overview of the Chandra mission and goals, Chandra's namesake, top 10 facts.
Classroom activities, printable materials, interactive games & more.
Overview of X-ray Astronomy and X-ray sources: black holes to galaxy clusters.
All Chandra images released to the public listed by date & by category
Current Chandra press releases, status reports, interviews & biographies.
A collection of multimedia, illustrations & animations, a glossary, FAQ & more.
A collection of illustrations, animations and video.
Chandra discoveries in an audio/video format.
Resources for museums, planetariums, broadcast producers and other special venues.

How to Find & Request Animations
tidal1
  • Use the resources section of the Chandra website to view available animations. Animations are organized into categories:
    Our podcasts are also available in broadcast resolution by request.
  • Contact:
    April Hobart 617-496-7048, ahobart@cfa.harvard.edu
    Kim Kowal Arcand 617-496-7860, kkowal@cfa.harvard.edu
  • Please refer to each animation by its web link, number on page and title as it's given on the web page.
    Example:
    http://chandra.harvard.edu/resources/animations/blackholes.html #1 "Best of Chandra Images: Black Holes, Jets & Quasars" to request the following animation
  • Please specify format required, project deadline & intended use.
  • Please include your contact name, address and phone number (Phone numbers are needed to fed-ex tapes)
  • Please give us at least one week to fill the request.
  • We like to collect copies of programs using our materials. If at all possible, when your project is complete, please send us a copy on DVD or tape.
    Materials can be sent to:
    April Hobart
    Chandra X-ray Center
    Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
    60 Garden St, MS 34
    Cambridge, MA 02138
Animation of X-ray Flares
Animation of X-ray Flares from a "Young Sun"

This animation shows how X-ray flares from a young star affect a planet-forming disk.
Animations are free of charge, but we do ask that you obtain our permission for usage and give proper credit. All animations are credited on our web site, and if we send a tape, each clip is preceded by a slate giving proper credit information.

If you have further questions on permissions and usage, please contact:
Kathy Lestition, Education/Outreach Coordinator,
(cxcedu@cfa.harvard.edu)
FAX: 617.495.7356

Animation Formats
greenanit

Anim of Black Hole with Accretion Disk and Torus
Animation of Black Hole with Accretion Disk and Torus
This artist's conception shows a black hole system in each of its constituent parts as viewed from the top.
[more]
 Animations can be sent in any of the following formats:
  • Broadcast-quality video on Beta SP tape, NTSC at 720 x 486
  • Uncompressed quicktime or avi, 720 x 486, sent on CD or DVD (file may be zipped to fit)
  • Compressed quicktime or mpeg files in various file sizes and aspect ratios. The following standard formats are found in most cases on our website and can be downloaded directly by the requester:
    Large QT: 720 x 480, ~10-50MB
    Small QT: 360 x 240, ~3-9 MB
    Large mpeg: 720 x 480, ~5-15 MB
    Small mpeg: 360 x 240, ~2-8 MB

    Other sizes can be custom-built and either posted for download or sent on CD
  • HDTV: please allow extra time for the re-rendering of frames at HD size. Frame sequences can be sent if firewire drive is provided by requester. Uncompressed quicktime movies at HD resolution can also be sent via DVD.
  • Video sequences can also be telestreamed as NTSC video if requester has a Clipmail Pro.
Still Images & Illustrations
protocl uster anim
Titan's Transit of the Crab Nebula
Animation of Titan's Transit of the Crab Nebula
This animation illustrates how Titan, one of Saturn's moons, cast an X-ray "shadow" on Chandra's detector as Titan passed between the Crab Nebula and Chandra.
  • All of our released Chandra images are available for downloading. Please browse the photo album by category or date.
  • The images are available in various formats, including JPEG, full-resolution TIFF and postscript (PS). The Chandra TIFF files posted on our site are the highest resolution images available. For additional information on Chandra data and resolution issues please contact Kim Arcand.
  • We also have an archive of illustrations relating to release/science concepts. Please visit the illustrations section to view the complete gallery.
Other Related Products
Red Animation
  • Posters, postcards, bookmarks, lithos, and a coloring book are available to educators and amateur organizations by request.
  • An interactive tour of Chandra´s X-ray Milky Way (CD-ROM) and a collection of Chandra Images and Handouts (data DVD) are available by request through the web site.