Astrophysicists used Chandra’s X-ray satellite to detect the most distant galaxy cluster ever observed. The galaxy is located about 11.1 billion light years from Earth.

HITOMI, the most sensitive X-ray satellite, was destroyed in March 2016, about a month after its launch. Despite its early destruction, HITOMI managed to perform significant science. The spacecraft observed the Perseus cluster, the brightest X-ray cluster in the sky, for three days. Analyzing the data, astronomers measured the motion of gas in the centre. Being able to measure gas motions is a major advance in understanding the dynamic behavior of galaxy clusters and its ties to cosmic evolution.

Astronomers used NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuStar) to pinpoint large numbers of black holes that emit high-energy X-rays. These new results will not only help scientists understand which are the physical mechanisms that feed the supermassive black holes, but also how their evolution affects the formation of the galaxies that host them.

NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory Communications group is organizing an innovative project, named AstrOlympics that blends science and sports.

Astronomers used NASA’s Chandra X-ray satellite to study four old red dwarf stars. Their observations revealed a low rate of X-ray emission. The discovery has implications for understanding how the magnetic field in our Sun and similar stars are generated.

HITOMI, the most sensitive X-ray satellite was launched earlier this year, by JAXA, the Japanese space agency. About a month later the satellite failed due to a engineering error in its control system. Now JAXA, plans a successor mission that could be launched in 2020.

X-rays emitted from the black hole flicker following a pattern that lasts for a few months and then suddenly ends. The phenomenon is predicted by Einstein’s general relativity and now astronomers were able to measure it in such strong gravitational fields.

One of the main goals of the AHEAD project is to offer the possibility for scientists and PhD students in astronomy to visit major astrophysical institutes and data centers and perform data analysis by accessing data archives and software tools, Read More …

Astronomers observed a binary star system that contains a low-mass star and a black hole. The black hole pulls material from its companion star extremely slowly and therefore emits only a very small amount of X-rays. “It is so quiet that it is practically a stealth black hole”.

Astronomers caught a supermassive black hole consuming a star that was drifting in space. The star was eaten so fast by the black hole that the Eddington limit –the theoretical maximum speed limit that defines how fast matter can be consumed by a black hole, was briefly exceeded.