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 obtained with the FORS2 instrument on the VLT is centred on the position of the black hole. The image covers a field of view of about 2x2 arcminutes, or about 4000 light-years at the distance of NGC 300. The image is based on data obtained through a wide B filter and two narrow-band filters centred on 500 nm and H-alpha.
Källa:ESO/P. Crowther
Om bilden
ID: | eso1004c |
Typ: | Observation |
Publiceringsdatum: | 27 januari 2010 12:00 |
Relaterade pressmeddelanden: | eso1004 |
Storlek: | 930 x 928 px |
Om objektet
Namn: | NGC 300 X-1 |
Typ: | Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Black Hole Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
Avstånd: | 6 miljon ljusår |
Constellation: | Sculptor |
Kategori: | Galaxies Quasars and Black Holes Stars |
Skrivbordsunderlägg
Koordinater
Position (RA): | 0 55 9.92 |
Position (Dec): | -37° 42' 7.67" |
Field of view: | 1.95 x 1.95 arcminutes |
Orientering: | Nord är 0.1° höger om lodrätt |
Färger och filter
Band | Våglängd | Teleskop |
---|---|---|
Synligt ljus B | Very Large Telescope FORS2 | |
Synligt ljus OIII | 500 nm | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
Synligt ljus H-alpha | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |