• → European Space Agency

    • About Science & Technology

    • For Public

    • For Educators

    • ESA

    • Science & Technology

    • XMM-Newton

    • Missions
    • Show All Missions
    • Mission Home
    • Summary
    • Fact Sheet
    • Objectives
    • Orbit View
    • Spacecraft
    • Spacecraft
    • 3D Model
    • Instruments
    • X-ray Mirrors
    • Engineering
    • Mission Operations
    • Launch Vehicle
    • Launch Campaign
    • Orbit/Navigation
    • Science Operations
    • Slew Survey and Catalogue
    • SOC
    • Data Archive
    • Resources
    • News Archive
    • Multimedia Gallery
    • Publication Archive
    • Calendar of Events
    • Services
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Bookmark and Share

    Animation showing what the MCG-6-30-15 black hole system may be like

    Date: 22 Oct 2001
    Copyright: Courtesy of NASA/HONEYWELL MAX-Q digital group/Dana Berry

    Black holes are extremely compact objects with gravitational fields so intense that nothing - not even light - can escape their attraction. Material in the vicinity of the black hole is drawn in, spiralling towards the centre, in the process forming a fast rotating accretion disc where friction causes the material to glow strongly in X-rays.


    Last Update: 01 Oct 2008

    • Shortcut URL
    • http://sci.esa.int/jump.cfm?oid=28740
    • Latest selection
    • Discovery of a new ultra-luminous X-ray source in Andromeda
    • Numerical simulation of a highly obscured HMXB
    • Cyg OB2 #9: XMM-Newton and Swift observations
    • Video Download
    • [mov] 714.75 kb.
    • See also
    • Black hole monster in a spin releases energy!

    Connect with us

    • RSS
    • Youtube
    • Twitter
    • Flickr
    • Google Buzz
    • Livestream
    • Subscribe
    • App Store
    • ESA Science Twitter

    Follow ESA science

    • Copyright 2000 - 2013 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.

    • Terms and Conditions