The graphite crystal X-ray spectrometer on OSO-8

The large-area graphite crystal X-ray spectrometer aboard the OSO-8 satellite is described. The instrument can be used to measure continuum profiles over the energy band from 2 to 8 keV with a resolution of several tens of electron volts and to detect narrow line emission from strong X-ray sources with a limiting sensitivity (3 sigmas) of the order of 10-eV, equivalent width for a three-day observing period.