Sharing the Universe: Chandra Public Engagement and the 25th Anniversary

Kimberly Arcand, Megan Watzke

As we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, it was an opportunity to reflect not only on the incredible science this mission has enabled but also on the importance of sharing Chandra's discoveries with the world. The Communications and Public Engagement (CPE) team, in collaboration with the broader Chandra X-ray Center (CXC), NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters, the Smithsonian Institution, Northrop Grumman, and our many other partners throughout the government, academia, and industry, led a dynamic campaign in 2024 to bring Chandra's story to audiences everywhere—from symphony halls to film festivals, from national TV to social media.

Why is such public engagement so vital? The CXC's primary mission is to operate the telescope and deliver groundbreaking X-ray data to the scientific community. However, ensuring that people can understand, access, and appreciate these discoveries is also crucial. Chandra is a mission made possible by public investment—its story belongs to everyone.

Public engagement helps bridge the gap between cutting-edge astrophysics and everyday life. Whether through immersive events, striking visual displays like subway installations, premieres at local film festivals, or collaborations with musicians to transform X-ray data into sound, we aim to connect people to their universe in meaningful ways.

These efforts also serve a broader purpose. They highlight the value of space-based astrophysics, a field that has led to transformative technological advancements and helped maintain American leadership in scientific exploration. By expanding our reach to new audiences, we reinforce how missions like Chandra contribute to our understanding of the cosmos and even improve life here on Earth, all while inspiring future generations of scientists, engineers, and space enthusiasts.

For over a quarter of a century, the Chandra team has been dedicated to sharing the incredible journey of discovery that this observatory makes possible. As we look to the future, we remain committed to engaging the world with the science, wonder, and inspiration that Chandra continues to provide.

Chandra 25th Highlights:

One of the challenges in the CPE team is to simultaneously share Chandra science with the very knowledgeable, scientifically attentive swath of the public (and the scientific community itself, of course) as well as people who are not devoted followers of astrophysics news. Therefore, we need to make the most of what is new in any of the latest results, while also putting that result into context for those who are not familiar with Chandra and what it does.

This was especially true during the 25th anniversary, where we deliberately sought new venues and audiences to share Chandra and its science. We brought Chandra news of black holes, supernovae, exoplanets, and more to spaces that traditionally were domains of art, music, or other non-astrophysics content.

Some highlights of these efforts included:

• Art and Science Meet in Public Spaces: In summer through early fall of 2024, Chandra images transformed subway stations in Washington, D.C., into cosmic galleries, bringing the wonders of deep space to commuters in unexpected ways.
• Sounding the Universe: We worked with musicians from genres spanning classical to rock to turn Chandra's data into sound, allowing people to experience the universe through sonifications. These collaborations, presented at live concerts and online, made Chandra's discoveries accessible in a whole new dimension. These experiences have continued into this year with our Chandra-infused symphony premiering with the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra, Chandra data being featured in a second residency of Dead & Company at Sphere in Las Vegas, and more.
• Social Media & Digital Engagement: Chandra's digital presence reached millions through special anniversary features, including interactive visuals, educational videos, and behind-the-scenes looks at how the telescope continues to explore the cosmos. Chandra had some of its highest social engagement numbers in 2024 as a result of the campaign and the multi-mission support, and continues to grow in 2025.
• Events That Inspire: We partnered with Smithsonian museums, schools, festivals, and other programs across the country, bringing hands-on experiences to families, students, and lifelong learners including the Summer Solstice festival at the Smithsonian, hosting the US State Department's Youth Ambassadors STEM and sports program, and the NASA Red Sox STEM Day.
• Award-winning Documentary: Our Listen to the Universe documentary about Chandra sonifications has been one of the top documentaries for NASA's streaming service (NASA+). It has also collected over a dozen film festival and communications awards.

Chandra 25th campaign results showed that we were able to successfully reach audiences of size that clearly went far beyond the astrophysics fan community. We continue to work to keep as many of those new Chandra followers engaged as possible, providing experiences, events, and material that they will hopefully continue to engage with, enjoy, and value.

Looking to the Future

Chandra's legacy is not just about what we've learned—it's about what comes next. The observatory continues to work alongside other missions like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and future observatories to tackle the biggest mysteries of the universe. It is critical to make sure that we communicate Chandra science to the widest possible audiences and especially to key stakeholders.

As we look ahead, public engagement remains a cornerstone of Chandra's mission. By sharing X-ray discoveries widely, we help inspire future generations, reinforce the importance of astrophysics, and help tell the story about why investing in scientific exploration matters.