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    X-ray echo's probe black hole habitat

    Date: 31 May 2012
    Copyright: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

    Astronomers using data from the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton satellite have found a long-sought X-ray signal from NGC 4151, a galaxy that contains a supermassive black hole. When the black hole's X-ray source flares, its accretion disc reflects the emission about half an hour later. The discovery promises a new way to unravel what's happening in the neighbourhood of these powerful objects.

    This animation shows the flare sequence happening twice.


    Last Update: 01 Jun 2012

    • Shortcut URL
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