During the last week Chandra completed the observing schedule as planned.

A real-time procedure was executed on Jan 4 to perform a routine self-check of the Electrical Interface Assembly (EIA) Sequencer.

Chandra passed through the first, second, and third eclipses of the season on Dec 30, Jan 2, and Jan 5 respectively, with nominal power and thermal performance.

A Chandra press release was issued on Jan 5 describing the discovery of a powerful cosmic particle accelerator created by the combination of a supermassive black hole and the merger of two giant galaxy clusters. Particles from the black hole jet are seen to be re-accelerated by shock waves generated by the cluster merger, resulting in some of the most energetic particles observed in the universe. This is the first known observation of such a one-two punch, and resolves a long-standing mystery about the origin of beautiful swirls of radio emission stretching for millions of light years in this merger. For details see: http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/17_releases/press_010517.html

A second Chandra press release was issued on Jan 5 describing an unparalleled image from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory that gives astronomers the best look yet at the growth of black holes over billions of years beginning soon after the Big Bang. This is the deepest X-ray image ever obtained, collected with about 7 million seconds, or eleven and a half weeks, of Chandra observing time. For details see: http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/17_releases/press_010517cdfs.html

The schedule of targets for the next week is shown below and includes an observation of RW Aur, which was accepted as a Target of Opportunity on Nov 28, and an observation of CSS161010, which was accepted as a Director's Discretionary Time Target of Opportunity on Dec 21.