Asset Publisher

Cyg OB2 #9: XMM-Newton and Swift observations

Cyg OB2 #9: XMM-Newton and Swift observations

Date: 12 October 2012
Copyright: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

The Cygnus OB2 #9 binary system consists of two nearly equal-mass O stars that follow an eccentric orbit around their common centre of gravity.

Observations with ESA's XMM-Newton and NASA's Swift observatories showed a quadrupling of X-ray flux around the time of periastron (June/July 2011) - when the stars were close together in their orbits. This has provided the first concrete evidence that a wind-wind collision is taking place in this system.

Previous observations with XMM-Newton had hinted at the presence of colliding stellar winds but those observations were carried out when the two stars were far from each other.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
19-Mar-2024 06:07 UT

ShortUrl Portlet

Shortcut URL

https://sci.esa.int/s/Wmqo2LW

Related Images

Related Videos

Related Publications

Related Links

Documentation