XMM-Newton takes astronomers to a black hole’s edge   Illustration of a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy. Using new data from ESA’s XMM-Newton spaceborne observatory, astronomers have probed closer than ever to a supermassive black hole lying deep at the core of a distant active galaxy. The black hole at the centre of the galaxy – known as 1H0707-495 – was thought to be partially obscured from view by intervening clouds of gas and dust, but the current observations have revealed the innermost depths of the galaxy.   An artist's impression of XMM-Newton. Release date: 27 May 2009