ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatory

The Universe may not look the same in all directions after all

13 April 2020 Astronomy Now

X-ray observations of more than 800 galaxy clusters suggest the expansion of the universe may be faster in some regions than in others.

X-ray telescopes find evidence for wandering black hole

6 October 2016 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatory to discover an extremely luminous, variable X-ray source located outside the centre of its parent galaxy. This peculiar object could be a wandering black hole that came from a small galaxy falling into a larger one.

Gravitational vortex provides new way to study matter close to a black hole

14 July 2016 Astronomy Now

The European Space Agency’s orbiting XMM-Newton X-ray observatory has proved the existence of a ‘gravitational vortex’ around a black hole. The discovery, aided by NASA’s NuSTAR mission, solves a mystery that has eluded astronomers for more than 30 years and will allow them to map the behaviour of matter very close to black holes.

First “wind nebula” found around an ultra-magnetic neutron star, or magnetar

22 June 2016 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have discovered a vast cloud of high-energy particles called a wind nebula around a rare ultra-magnetic neutron star, or magnetar, for the first time. The find offers a unique window into the properties, environment and outburst history of magnetars, which are the strongest magnets in the universe.

Solar storms ignite X-ray aurorae on Jupiter

22 March 2016 Astronomy Now

Solar storms are triggering X-ray aurorae on Jupiter that are about eight times brighter than normal over a large area of the planet and hundreds of times more energetic than Earth’s “northern lights,” according to a new study using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory when a giant solar storm arrived at the planet.

Sparkling Stephan’s Quintet

22 December 2015 Astronomy Now

The Stephan’s Quintet of galaxies in the constellation Pegasus was discovered by astronomer Édouard Stephan in 1877. This image combines observations performed at three different wavelengths, with ESA’s Herschel and XMM-Newton space observatories as well as with ground-based telescopes, to reveal the different components of the five galaxies.

Galaxy cluster survey yields 3-D view of universe’s dark side

18 December 2015 Astronomy Now

An international team of astronomers used European Southern Observatory telescopes to complement other earth- and space-based instruments as part of the XXL survey of galaxy clusters. The ESO team measured the precise distances to the galaxy clusters, providing the 3-D view of the cosmos required to perform accurate measurements of dark matter and dark energy.

The Milky Way’s tumultuous heart revealed in X-rays

21 August 2015 Astronomy Now

A newly released image from the ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray satellite observatory gives us a unprecedented look at the intense processes taking place at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. The new study, which spans a thousand light-years, is a compilation of one and a half months of monitoring, revealing the powerful remnants of dead stars and their mighty action on the surrounding gas.