2018_ROSITA-Flyer_aussen_e_A4.ai 1 11.04.2018 14:53:10

Dark Energy eROSITA is supported by the German Aerospace Centre DLR and the Max Society with BMWi funding. The Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) is Edwin Hubble famously showed that the Universe is the leading institute for the project, which is carried out in expanding – but we do not know how this expansion close collaboration with other German research institutes will continue. The decisive factor for the future of the and the IKI in Moscow. Universe is its mass density: if it is above a critical Important academic and industry partners: value, about six hydrogen atoms per cubic metre, then the expansion of the Universe will eventually slow Max Planck Institute for Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen, Germany Extraterrestrial Physics, Lavochkin Association, Moscow, down and reverse until the Universe ends in a so-called Garching, Germany Big Crunch. Russia DLR Space Administration, Invent GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany eROSITA Bonn, Germany Adding up all the matter known in stars, gas and dust Kayser-Threde GmbH (now OHB), the whole sky in X-rays ROSKOSMOS, Moscow, Russia clouds amounts to only about 4% of this critical Munich, Germany Space Research Institute (IKI), density. However, from galaxy dynamics and HPS GmbH, Munich, Germany observations of galaxy clusters, astronomers have been Moscow, Russia Media Lario Technologies, able to infer that there exists much more invisible Dr. Remeis Observatory Bosisio Parini, Italy Searching for matter, its presence betrayed only by gravitational Bamberg, University effects. But even this “dark matter” is not sufficient to Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany Tecnotron GmbH, Weißensberg, Germany halt the expansion of the Universe. Hamburg Observatory, University Hamburg, Germany pnSensor GmbH, Munich, Germany Institute for Astronomy and But there is more: In 2000, astronomers realised that IABG mbH, Ottobrunn, Germany the Universe’s expansion is accelerating! This discovery Astrophysics (IAAT), University Tübingen, Germany was made by combining detailed observations of the Laserjob GmbH, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics together with accurate estimates of the distance to Potsdam (AIP), Germany IberEspacio, Madrid, Spain University Observatory Munich, supernova explosions. af inventions GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany Germany When Einstein developed the General Theory of Argelander Institute, University Bonn, Germany MBM Industrie GmbH, Relativity in 1916, he introduced an additional Mühldorf a. Inn, Germany “cosmological constant” term in his equations, which Excellence Cluster Universe, counteracted the attractive forces due to the Munich, Germany gravitation of matter. Today’s measurements of the RUAG Space GmbH, Vienna, accelerated expansion indicate that not only does Austria this component exist, but it actually dominates, For more information see MPE constituting around 75% of the total energy density of http://www.mpe.mpg.de/erosita the Universe.

The nature of this energy, which keeps pushing the Universe further apart, remains a mystery – astronomers call it “dark energy”. Unravelling this AIT enigma is one of the fascinating challenges in modern astronomy and physics and could even lead to a fundamental paradigm change. eROSITA will be the first experiment to measure the parameters of dark energy with high enough precision to differentiate between various theoretical models. background image: Abell 2218 © NASA, ESA, R. Ellis, J.-P. Kneib

eROSITA - the mission eROSITA - the telescope eROSITA - Spectrum-Roentgen- “ eROSITA - Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma eROSITA - the mission eROSITA - the telescope extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array “extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array The eROSITA telescope has seven identical X-ray The“eyes”. eROSITA Each telescope eye consists has ofseven a mirror identical module X-ray with an Over a four year period eROSITA will survey the entire sky, “eyes”. Each eye consists of a mirror module with an Over a four year period eROSITA will survey the entire sky, X-ray sensitive camera placed at its focus. gathering extensive information about several million X-ray sensitive camera placed at its focus. SRG gathering extensive information about several million The X-ray optics are constructed from -coated cosmic X-ray sources. The eROSITA all-sky survey will be The X-ray optics are constructed from gold-coated cosmic X-ray sources. The eROSITA all-sky survey will be tubular mirrors, with 54 nested mirrors forming one about 25 times more sensitive than the pioneering ROSAT tubular mirrors, with 54 nested mirrors forming one about 25 times more sensitive than the pioneering ROSAT module. mission of the 1990s. module. mission of the 1990s. Together with the Russian ART-XC telescope, eROSITA will Developed and built at MPE, the cameras contain Together with the Russian ART-XC telescope, eROSITA will In its search for clues about dark energy, eROSITA will beTogether the main with instrument the Russian on ART-XC the Russian telescope, space eROSITAmission was Developedspecial X-ray and CCDs built atmanufactured MPE, the cameras from high-purity contain be the main instrument on the Russian space mission Instudy its search the distribution for clues about of galaxy dark clusters energy in the, eROSITA Universe. will It is Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma.brought into space on 13 July 2019The launch as the ismain scheduled instrument for specialsilicon. X-ray For maximumCCDs manufactured performance, from these high-purity cameras have Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma. The launch is scheduled for studyestimated the distribution that eROSITA of galaxy will detect clusters and in examine the Universe. approxi- It is 2019.on the Russian-German space mission Spectrum-Roent- silicon.to be cooledFor maximum to -90 °C performance, using a complex these heat cameras pipe have 2019. estimatedmately 100,000 that eROSITA galaxy clusters.will detect and examine approxi- gen-Gamma (SRG). The launch took place with a Proton/ tocooling be cooled system. to -90 °C using a complex heat pipe The satellite will be launched with a Proton/Block-DM-03 mately 100,000 galaxy clusters. Block-DM-3 rocket from the cosmodrome Baikonur in cooling system. Therocket satellite from will the be Russian launched launch with site a Proton/Block-DM-03 Baikonur in Kazakhstan Clusters consist of thousands of individual galaxies, and Kazakhstan. Upon arrival at its orbit around the so-called L2 © MPE rocketand then from transferred the Russian to launchits orbit site around Baikonur the so-calledin Kazakhstan L2 Clusterseach of consist these galaxies of thousands can contain of individual as many galaxies, as several and point, some 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, the telescope andpoint, then some transferred 1.5 million to its kilometres orbit around from the Earth. so-called L2 eachhundred of these billion galaxies stars. canClusters contain are asthe many largest as gravitationallyseveral point,will survey some 1.5the millionentire sky kilometres over a four-year from Earth. period, gathering hundredbound objectsbillion stars. in the Clusters Universe. are By the determining largest gravitationally the In its search for clues about dark energy, eROSITA will study extensive information about several million cosmic X-ray bounddistribution objects of in galaxy the Universe. clusters Byin space,determining astronomers the can not the distribution of approximately 100,000 galaxy clusters in sources. The eROSITA all-sky survey will be about 25 times distributiononly determine of galaxy the structureclusters inof space, the Universe astronomers today, canbut alsonot the Universe. Clusters consist of thousands of individual gal- more sensitive than the pioneering ROSAT mission of the onlyin the determine past – because the structure of the of gigantic the Universe distances today, involved. but also axies; each of these galaxies can contain as many as several 1990s. inDark the pastenergy – because affects howof the these gigantic structures distances change involved. over time, hundred billion stars. They are the largest gravitationally Darkand energyso by comparing affects how eROSITA’s these structures measurements change withover time, boundandcosmological so objects by comparing in modelsthe Universe. eROSITA’s we can By infer measurementsdetermining the parameters the with distribution of dark ofcosmological energy.galaxy clusters models in space, we canastronomers infer the parameterscan not only of deter dark- mineenergy. the structure of the Universe today, but also in the past – becauseThe eROSITA of the gigantic all-sky surveydistances will involved.detect a Darkmultitude energy of affectsTheadditional eROSITA how these X-ray all-sky sources,structures survey including willchange detect overseveral a time,multitude million and so ofactive by comparingadditionalblack holes eROSITA’sX-ray in thesources, centres measurements including of galaxies, several with and cosmological million also rare active objects modelsblacklike isolatedholes we can in neutron theinfer centres the stars. parameters of Last,galaxies, but of notdarkand least, alsoenergy. rarethere objects is likealways isolated the neutronhope that stars. new Last, phenomena but not least,might there be discovered is Thealwaysas eROSITA well. the hope all-sky that survey new phenomenawill detect a mightmultitude be discovered of addition - © MPE alas X-ray well. sources, including several million active black holes © MPE in the centres of galaxies, and also rare objects like isolated neutron stars. Last, but not least, there is always the hope that new phenomena might be discovered as well.

© MPE © MPE

© MPE © MPE © MPE © MPE © © MPE © MPE © MPE