ESA - XMM-Newton - Archive

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.

6 instruments
3800 kg mass
7,5 m focal length
174 gold-coated mirrors

XMM-Newton

Artist’s impression of black hole in NGC 3783

Science & Exploration

Flaring black hole whips up ultra-fast winds

09/12/2025 20284 views 140 likes

Artist's impression of an explosion on another star

Science & Exploration

First confirmed sighting of explosive burst on nearby star

12/11/2025 9902 views 66 likes

Astronomers discover vast filament of ‘missing’ matter

Science & Exploration

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

19/06/2025 22862 views 79 likes

Science & Exploration

From boring to bursting: a giant black hole awakens

11/04/2025 10112 views 72 likes

Giant black hole gobbling up doomed white dwarf star

Science & Exploration

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

13/01/2025 7677 views 64 likes

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton celebrates 25 years of breakthroughs

10/12/2024 4309 views 68 likes

A neutron star

Science & Exploration

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

20/06/2024 3375 views 29 likes

Black hole winds from a galactic core

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton spots a black hole throwing a tantrum

01/02/2024 5104 views 52 likes

Science & Exploration

Brightest gamma-ray burst illuminates our galaxy as never b…

28/03/2023 16590 views 201 likes

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton spies black holes eating the same stars again an…

12/01/2023 46899 views 144 likes

Illustration of a magnetar

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton spies youngest baby pulsar ever discovered

17/06/2020 6813 views 81 likes

Giant flare from a tiny star

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton reveals giant flare from a tiny star

20/02/2020 9835 views 110 likes

Mapping the surroundings of a black hole

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton maps black hole surroundings

20/01/2020 10987 views 84 likes

The hot, gaseous components of the Milky Way’s halo – artist’s impression

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton discovers scorching gas in Milky Way’s halo

16/01/2020 4526 views 42 likes

X-ray and optical view of the Perseus galaxy cluster

Science & Exploration

First sighting of hot gas sloshing in galaxy cluster

10/01/2020 8623 views 75 likes

XMM-Newton's view of star-shredding black hole

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton captures final cries of star shredded by black h…

09/01/2019 10843 views 183 likes

Detecting the warm-hot intergalactic medium

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton finds missing intergalactic material

20/06/2018 18760 views 169 likes

Science & Exploration

Reflecting on XMM-Newton

10/12/2012 3642 views 13 likes

XMM-Newton

XMM-Newton celebrates decade of discovery

09/12/2009 4093 views 3 likes

The white dwarf and its companion

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton uncovers a celestial Rosetta stone

03/09/2009 3373 views 1 likes

Artist's impression of galaxy and HLX-1 (blue star to the left)

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton discovers a new class of black holes

01/07/2009 6262 views 22 likes

Supermassive black hole

Science & Exploration

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

27/05/2009 4878 views 10 likes

Messier 82

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton exclusive photo: Messier 82

08/04/2009 3690 views 6 likes

SGR 1627-41

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton measures speedy spin of rare celestial object

13/01/2009 2687 views 10 likes

Artist’s impression of a magnetar

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton and Integral clues on magnetic powerhouses

14/11/2008 2215 views 0 likes

ESOC re-establishes communication with XMM-Newton

Enabling & Support

XMM-Newton talks again loud and clear

23/10/2008 2441 views 3 likes

XMM-Newton’s trail on the nigh-sky

Enabling & Support

XMM-Newton calls for help

22/10/2008 1386 views 2 likes

Artist’s impression of a super-massive black hole

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton uncovers well-tuned super-massive black hole

17/09/2008 1921 views 0 likes

2XMM J083026+524133

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton’s massive discovery

25/08/2008 6096 views 8 likes

V598 Puppis, the star that everyone missed

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton discovers the star that everyone missed

18/07/2008 2363 views 1 likes

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton watches lazy pulsar being jazzed up by companion

23/06/2008 2222 views 4 likes

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton discovers part of missing matter in the Universe

06/05/2008 6081 views 7 likes

Broad Absorption Line quasar

Science & Exploration

Cosmic engines surprise XMM-Newton

07/04/2008 3278 views 9 likes

Neutron Star/Quark Star Interior

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton gives new insight into neutron stars

08/01/2008 4965 views 5 likes

A Rotating Radio Transient

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton: pulsed heartbeat of a weird new type of star

21/12/2007 1966 views 0 likes

Galaxy cluster Abell 3128

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton unveils hidden cosmic giant

14/12/2007 2121 views 1 likes

Artist's view of Integral

Science & Exploration

Extension of ESA’s Integral and XMM-Newton missions approved

14/11/2007 2225 views 0 likes

XMM-Newton

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton releases the largest catalogue of X-ray sources

07/09/2007 1861 views 0 likes

Explosion on a neutron star

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton and Suzaku help pioneer method for probing exoti…

27/08/2007 2783 views 0 likes

A new star is born

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton reveals X-rays from gas streams around young sta…

31/05/2007 3614 views 0 likes

An optical image of NGC 4051

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton pinpoints intergalactic polluters

20/04/2007 1557 views 0 likes

VLT image of RXJ1856 sky region

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton finds the leader of the Magnificent Seven in a s…

09/03/2007 2824 views 0 likes

XMM-Newton view of supernova SN 1987A

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton’s anniversary view of supernova SN 1987A

23/02/2007 2430 views 0 likes

XMM-Newton image of star AB Aurigae

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton reveals a magnetic surprise

22/02/2007 2284 views 0 likes

Great comet-like ball of fire seen by XMM-Newton

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton spots the greatest of great balls of fire

12/06/2006 6234 views 2 likes

Galaxy clusters as seen by XMM-Newton

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton reveals the origin of elements in galaxy clusters

10/05/2006 2148 views 0 likes

XMM-Newton slew survey of the Vela supernova remnant

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton 'spare-time' provides impressive sky survey

03/05/2006 1739 views 1 likes

XMM-Newton observes fossil galaxy cluster

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton digs into the secrets of fossil galaxy clusters

27/04/2006 3442 views 1 likes

XMM-Newton image of pulsar 'RX J0720.4-3125'

Science & Exploration

XMM-Newton reveals a tumbling neutron star

19/04/2006 3150 views 2 likes

A hot gas cloud whirling around a miniature 'cannibal' star

Science & Exploration

Cannibal stars like their food hot, XMM-Newton reveals

23/03/2006 2585 views 0 likes

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