VELA_X-1
We propose to observe Vela X-1, the prototypical High Mass X-ray Binary in order to study the spectrum and its variability. The observation is designed to study the variability with the X-ray pulse and the variability with the binary orbit. This will allow constraints on the shape of the pulsar beam, which has previously been done only very crudely. It will allow us to determine the mean density of gas in the wind as it interacts with the pulsar, and to constrain iron peak abundances. We will search for pulsations in the lines, which will provide information about the pulsar beam as seen by many different lines of sight at once. Observations of Vela X-1 are virtually guaranteed to produce spectra which are of high statistical significance and rich in line features. They will provide
obsid = 300057020 / Unique Observation/Sequence Number
object = VELA_X-1 / Object name
pi_name = Collaboration XRISM / Proposal Principal Investigator Name
ra = 135.528629936688 / Right Ascension (Pointing Position) (deg)
dec = -40.5547501930184 / Declination (Pointing Position) (deg)
roll_angle = 294.847641325337 / Roll Angle (deg)
start_time = 2024-05-22T11:46:04 / Start Time of the Observation
stop_time = 2024-05-22T23:57:04 / Stop Time of the Observation
exposure = 13087.906416412 / Effective Total Observation Exposure (s)
public_date= 2025-08-31 / Public Date