AstroSat’s One Year in Orbit

AstroSat‘s first results: hard X-ray polarisation

Prof. A.R. Rao

On the first day of operation of AstroSat scientific payloads, a gamma-ray burst (GRB 151006A) was serendipitously observed and there were hints of hard X-ray polarisation in the data.  Subsequent observations and detailed analysis showed very exciting results on change of polarisation angle as a function of pulse phase in the Crab pulsar and spectral state dependent polarisation in the black hole source Cygnus X-1.


First results from the Soft X-ray Telescope aboard AstroSat

Prof. K. P. Singh

The Soft X-ray focusing Telescope has observed a number of sources, as part of its performance verification plan.. These range from sun like active stars, accreting magnetic white dwarfs, supernova remnants, X-ray binaries with accreting neutron stars and black-holes, active galactic nuclei and clusters of galaxies. Some of the results will be presented, and the low background and excellent spectral capabilities of the SXT will be highlighted.


Astrosat/LAXPC performance in orbit and first results

Prof. J.S. Yadav

Astrosat/LAXPC instrument has performed well in orbit and has achieved all parameters proposed initially. We will compare its performance with similar X-ray space instruments world wide. LAXPC instrument has observed variety of X-ray sources in the sky and we will present first results from some of these observations to high light unique timing and spectral capabilities of LAXPC 
instrument.