Q & A: Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

		NASA's premier X-ray observatory was named the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Indian-American Nobel laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (pronounced: su/bra/mon'/yon chandra/say/kar). Known to the world as Chandra (which means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit), he was widely regarded as one of the foremost astrophysicists of the twentieth century. More Information: About Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

Q: In your web site, you say that Mr. Chandrasekhar wrote a book on the relationship between art and science. Could you tell me more about that?

Q: I'm also wondering if you or someone you know might have known Mr. Chandrasekhar and could possibly give me a little information about him.

Q: NASA should be congratulated for the appropriate naming of this X-Ray telescope after the Nobel Laurate, Chandrasekhar. However, care should be exercised in avoiding shortening its name, by both NASA and the news media, as "Chandra." Chandra is not the same as Chandrasekhar. In fact, Chandra is the name of a girl.

Q: How do you pronounce Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar for whom the Chandra X-ray Observatory was named?

Q: Where did the name "Chandra" originate?