Chandra X-ray Observatory

The case of the missing supermassive black hole

25 January 2021 Astronomy Now

Despite careful searches with the Hubble and Chandra space telescopes, astronomers have been unable to find a presumed supermassive black hole at the heart of a giant galaxy.

Intermediate mass ‘missing link’ black hole identified

2 April 2020 Astronomy Now

The Hubble Space Telescope provides strong evidence that a presumed tidal disruption event was caused by an intermediate-mass black hole.

Citizen scientists showcased for spectacular images

3 November 2019 Astronomy Now

The Chandra X-ray Observatory project is showcasing citizen scientists who help astronomers by sifting through public data archives and processing spectacular, scientifically valuable images that can lead to new discoveries.

ALMA provides a fresh look at a cosmic jellyfish

30 September 2019 Astronomy Now

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array captures the glowing tentacle-like tail of molecular debris streaming away in the wake of a spiral galaxy as it plows through the gas permeating an enormous galactic cluster.

Astronomers spot three supermassive black holes on collision course

30 September 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers using X-ray, optical and infrared telescopes have spotted three galaxies – hosting three supermassive black holes – in the process of merging.

A galaxy being stripped of stars as it plows through a cluster

17 June 2019 Astronomy Now

Stars and long streams of gas are torn away from a galaxy as it plows through the heart of a cluster near the centre of the Great Attractor in a phenomenon known as ram pressure stripping.

Visualizing the chaos near the Milky Way’s central black hole

24 March 2019 Astronomy Now

A 360-dergree visualization of the Milky Way’s core from the perspective of its central supermassive black hole shows the chaotic motion of nearby stars and gas clouds.

Rumors of a quasar’s death may have been premature

21 March 2019 Astronomy Now

A voracious quasar at the heart of a galaxy 1.1 billion light years away is blowing huge bubbles in space, giving the host galaxy the shape of a teacup.

A star’s death sheds light on black hole’s spin

14 January 2019 Astronomy Now

The remains of a destroyed star in a disc of shredded debris around a supermassive black hole showed the hole was spinning at more than half the speed of light.

Behaviour of fastest-growing white dwarf contradicts accepted theory

9 December 2018 Astronomy Now

Observations of a fast-growing white dwarf suggest an alternative explanation for what triggers X-ray outbursts as gas from a companion star falls onto the dwarf