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Akari (satellite) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Akari (あかり, meaning "light") was a special Japanese artificial satellite launched in 2006. Its name, "Akari," means "light" in Japanese. This satellite was like a giant eye in space, designed to study the universe using infrared light.

The launch was a big project by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Akari's Mission

Akari was launched on February 22, 2006. Its main job was to act as a space observatory. This means it was a telescope placed in space, far away from Earth's atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere can block some types of light, making it hard for telescopes on the ground to see everything.

Seeing in Infrared

Akari's special ability was to see in infrared light. Infrared light is a type of light that we can't see with our eyes, but we can feel it as heat. For example, a TV remote uses infrared light to send signals.

Akari had an infrared telescope that could detect this heat-light from space. It surveyed the entire sky in near-, mid-, and far-infrared. By doing this, Akari helped scientists discover new things about stars, galaxies, and how the universe formed. It could see through dust clouds that block visible light, revealing hidden objects.

External Links

  • Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Akari (ASTRO-F) mission profile

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: ASTRO-F para niños

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