maxi

MAXI stands for Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image. It is an X-ray astronomy observatory mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility of the International Space Station. Launched in 2009, MAXI is designed to survey the entire sky for X-ray sources and transient events, providing ongoing monitoring and rapid alerts to the astronomical community.

The instrument comprises two types of slit cameras, referred to as the Gas Slit Camera and the Solid-state Slit Camera. These detectors operate together to cover a broad X-ray energy range and continuously scan the sky as the ISS orbits Earth. MAXI produces daily all-sky maps, identifies new X-ray sources, and generates light curves for known objects, enabling studies of variability and transient phenomena.

Scientific goals focus on detecting and monitoring X-ray binaries, active galactic nuclei, supernova remnants, and other high-energy sources. By supplying near-real-time information on X-ray activity, MAXI supports follow-up observations across multiple wavelengths and with other observatories, contributing to the understanding of accretion processes, outbursts, and explosive events in the high-energy universe.

Data from MAXI are archived and made available to the scientific community through public data centers and project portals. The mission continues to produce catalogs of X-ray sources and time-resolved observations, maintaining a valuable long-term record of the X-ray sky from the ISS.