Einstein HRI Images: High-Resolution X-Ray Observations from 1978-1981

The HRIIMAGE database contains information from the High Resolution Imager aboard HEAO 2, the Einstein Observatory. Einstein was launched on November 13, 1978, and operated until April 1981, providing high-resolution X-ray telescope data. This catalog is a service provided by NASA HEASARC, with one duplicate entry removed in June 2019.

Use Cases

• Analyze high-resolution X-ray images of celestial objects based on the HRI instrument data.
• Study the temporal evolution of X-ray sources based on observations from the 1978-1981 operational period.
• Compare observations from different focal plane instruments (HRI, IPC, SSS, FPCS) mentioned in the description.
• Conduct archival research on early X-ray astronomy data from the Einstein Observatory.

Strengths

• Data originates from a major NASA space observatory mission, the Einstein Observatory (HEAO 2).
• Operational time range is precisely defined from launch on November 13, 1978, to April 1981.
• Catalog maintenance is indicated by the removal of a duplicate entry in June 2019.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale analysis.
• Data files are in BIN and HTML formats, which may require specialized tools for processing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC)

Collection Method

Collected by the High Resolution Imager (HRI) aboard the HEAO 2 (Einstein Observatory) satellite.

Time Range

Observations from the satellite's operational period, November 1978 to April 1981.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 20:07:16.222883; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Celestial observations; no specific terrestrial geography.