SNAP (satellite project)

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SNAP ( S uper n ova / A cceleration P robe ) is a concept from the 2000s for a space telescope , from which one hoped to gain knowledge about the hypothetical dark energy in the universe.

With SNAP, the number of observed supernovae should be increased to about 2000 per year. With this large number one wanted to determine the expansion of the universe more precisely, because with the help of these explosions (supernovae of type Ia) distances in space are measured. The distribution should also be recorded so that, with the help of the distance, conclusions can be drawn about the phases in which the universe was formed.

Furthermore, gravitational lenses should be recorded and mapped. With the help of these lenses, objects that are far away can be viewed enlarged. In addition, their distribution says something about the inflation of the universe.

The SNAP telescope should be characterized by an extremely large viewing angle of over one square degree and the detector should map light in the near infrared and visual range to around 0.7 · 10 9 pixels. It should be used to scan around 7.5 square degrees in a 4-day cycle and to detect supernovae up to a redshift of 1.7, which can be measured more precisely by an integrated spectrometer .

SNAP was planned as part of the Joint Dark Energy Mission , a collaboration between NASA and the US Department of Energy . If SNAP had been selected, the launch would have been before 2020.

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