Telescope profits from 'downtime'

[FLO]

Astronomers are getting the most out of Europe's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory by making it work even in those periods that might be considered downtime.

Like all space telescopes, XMM follows an observing schedule, looking at an object for some hours before swinging away to study the next target.

But scientists have been leaving the "shutter" open as its slews across the sky for some lucky dip observations.

The technique has thrown up thousands of brilliant X-ray stars and galaxies.

"About a quarter of the sky has been covered in this way, and it's all for free - XMM was not designed in the first place to do this," explained Dr Andy Read of Leicester University.

"The telescope is so good at collecting X-rays that even when you look at a point in the sky for 10 seconds, you can find sources," he told the BBC News website.

By Jonathan Amos

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4874478.stm