# A falling star

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-falling-star/171933>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 29, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-falling-star/171933 "2003-04-29T16:06:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-falling-star/171933/1 "2003-04-29T16:06:29Z")

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… that’s really a [dying satellite](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2986055.stm).

Basically, this was one of the first X-ray observatories ever, and naturally had to be in space, since our atmosphere prevents X-rays from outer space reaching the Earth’s surface.

All I can really say is “oops-a-daisy!” Lucky we’re no longer using it really. 🙂