NGC 300 X-1 in the spiral galaxy NGC 300

Astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have detected a stellar-mass black hole much further away than any other previously known. With a mass about twenty times that of the Sun, this is also the second most massive stellar-mass black hole ever found. The newly announced black hole lies in a spiral galaxy called NGC 300, six million light-years from Earth.

This image composite shows the spectacular spiral galaxy NGC 300 as seen in an image from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), as well as the position of the stellar-mass black hole in the galaxy in an image obtained with the FORS2 instrument on the VLT.

Crédit:

ESO/ Digitized Sky Survey 2/P. Crowther

À propos de l'image

Identification:eso1004b
Type:Observation
Date de publication:27 janvier 2010 12:00
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso1004
Taille:3012 x 1551 px

À propos de l'objet

Nom:NGC 300 X-1
Type:Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Black Hole
Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Distance:6 million années lumière
Catégorie:Galaxies

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Couleurs & filtres

DomaineLongueur d'ondeTélescope
Visible
B
Very Large Telescope
FORS2
Visible
Oiii
500 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Visible
H-alpha
Very Large Telescope
FORS2
Visible
R
Digitized Sky Survey 2