ESA - Space Science - XMM-Newton takes astronomers to a black hole’s edge

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XMM-Newton takes astronomers to a black hole’s edge

27 May 2009

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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.

Credits: ESA (Image by C. Carreau)

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An artist's impression of XMM-Newton.

Credits: ESA-C. Carreau

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