The HESSI Challenge:

Rotating Grids

Yohkoh Image of a Flare in Hard X rays

Human beings have limited sensitivity ranges in their five senses. For example, dogs have more sensitive noses for detecting faint odors. Bees can see in ultraviolet light while humans can not. Bats and dolphins can hear at much higher frequencies than humans.

In order to extend the senses, humans have made devices that expand our sensitivity ranges and report back in ways that we can perceive. HESSI is a device that attempts to extend our vision to the most energetic X-ray and gamma-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The acronym HESSI stands for High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager. Scientists hope to give us X-ray pictures of the inner structures of solar flares. To understand the problems of achieving that goal click links 1 through 5 below.

Links to the Rest of the Story

1. The Human Eye

2. Shorter Wavelengths of Light:
Ultraviolet (UV)

3. X-Rays: Even Shorter Wavelengths

4. Hard X-Rays and Gamma-Rays

5. How Are Hard X-Ray Images Made?