ESA title

The mission

XMM-Newton is studying X-ray sources across the Universe: looking deep into the centre of galaxies, studying stars at all stages of their live, investigating what happens in and around black holes, and following up on explosive events like gamma-ray bursts. XMM-Newton helps us explore how the Universe was formed and how matter behaves under the most extreme circumstances.

The launch

  • Launch: 10 December 1999
  • Launch location: Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
  • Launch vehicle: Ariane 5
  • Orbit: 48-hour elliptical orbit around Earth, inclined at 40 degrees. Apogee altitude 115 000~92 000 km.
XMM-Newton

Latest

Astronomers discover vast filament of ‘missing’ matter
Science & Exploration

“The models were right”: astronomers find ‘missing’ matter

19/06/2025 21410 views 76 likes
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Science & Exploration

From boring to bursting: a giant black hole awakens

11/04/2025 8155 views 70 likes
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Giant black hole gobbling up doomed white dwarf star
Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton catches giant black hole’s X-ray oscillations

13/01/2025 7363 views 63 likes
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Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton celebrates 25 years of breakthroughs

10/12/2024 3877 views 67 likes
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A neutron star
Science & Exploration

Too young to be so cool: lessons from three neutron stars

20/06/2024 3008 views 28 likes
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More items

  • Science & Exploration

    Black hole winds from a galactic core

    01/02/2024 789 views 13 likes
    Open item
    Black hole winds from a galactic core
  • Science & Exploration

    Marvel at stunning echo of 800-year-old explosion

    26/03/2024 3696 views 62 likes
    Open item
  • Science & Exploration

    XMM-Newton captured dust rings from gamma-ray burst 221009A

    28/03/2023 1765 views 40 likes
    Open item
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XMM-Newton overview