Editing X-ray astronomy (section)

===X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) project===
[[File:Nike-Black Brant VC XQC launch.gif|thumb|right|A launch of the Black Brant 8 Microcalorimeter (XQC-2) at the turn of the century is a part of the joint undertaking by the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] and [[NASA]]'s [[Goddard Space Flight Center]] known as the X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) project.]]
In astronomy, the [[interstellar medium]] (or '''ISM''') is the gas and [[cosmic dust]] that pervade interstellar space: the [[matter]] that exists between the [[star system]]s within a galaxy. It fills interstellar space and blends smoothly into the surrounding [[intergalactic medium]]. The interstellar medium consists of an extremely dilute (by terrestrial standards) mixture of [[ion]]s, [[atom]]s, [[molecule]]s, larger dust grains, [[cosmic ray]]s, and (galactic) magnetic fields.<ref name=Spitzer>{{Cite book|author=Spitzer L |date=1978 |title=Physical Processes in the Interstellar Medium |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-471-29335-4 }}</ref> The energy that occupies the same volume, in the form of [[electromagnetic radiation]], is the '''interstellar radiation field'''.

Of interest is the hot ionized medium (HIM) consisting of a [[coronal cloud]] ejection from star surfaces at 10<sup>6</sup>-10<sup>7</sup> K which emits X-rays. The ISM is [[turbulence|turbulent]] and full of structure on all spatial scales. [[Star formation|Stars are born]] deep inside large complexes of [[molecular clouds]], typically a few [[parsec]]s in size. During their lives and deaths, [[star]]s interact physically with the ISM. [[Stellar wind]]s from young clusters of stars (often with giant or supergiant [[HII region]]s surrounding them) and [[shock wave]]s created by [[supernova]]e inject enormous amounts of energy into their surroundings, which leads to hypersonic turbulence. The resultant structures are [[stellar wind bubble]]s and [[superbubble]]s of hot gas. The Sun is currently traveling through the [[Local Interstellar Cloud]], a denser region in the low-density [[Local Bubble]].

To measure the spectrum of the diffuse X-ray emission from the interstellar medium over the energy range 0.07 to 1 keV, [[NASA]] launched a [[Black Brant (rocket)|Black Brant 9]] from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on May 1, 2008.<ref name=McCammon>{{cite web|author=Wright B |title=36.223 UH MCCAMMON/UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN |url=http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code810/news/story83.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511111524/http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code810/news/story83.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008}}</ref> The Principal Investigator for the mission is Dr. Dan McCammon of the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]].