3 April 2026
Astronomy Now
  • Home
  • The Magazine
    • About
    • Current Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Renew Subscription
  • AstroFest 2026
  • News
  • Observing
    • UK Sky Chart
    • Almanac
    • Scope Calc
    • DSLR Calc
  • Reviews
    • Equipment
    • Book Reviews
  • Spaceflight Now
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
    • Subscriptions
    • Your Views
    • Ask Astronomy Now
    • Editorial
    • Advertising
    • AstroListings
Latest News
  • [ 2 April 2026 ] Witness to history: Artemis II, lunar exploration and hope News
  • [ 25 March 2026 ] Artificial Intelligence uncovers more than 100 new worlds in NASA data News
  • [ 24 March 2026 ] XRISM solves gamma-Cas’s 50-year X-ray mystery News
  • [ 16 March 2026 ] Molten lava world points to new class of planet Focus on
  • [ 26 January 2026 ] Dr Allan Chapman (1946-2026) News
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

NASA’s Swift Gamma-Ray Burst spacecraft

News

Starvation diet for supermassive black hole dims brilliant galaxy

10 November 2016 Astronomy Now

Astronomers may have solved the mystery of the peculiar volatile behaviour of a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy known as Markarian 1018 some 590 million light-years away. Combined data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other observatories suggest that the black hole is no longer being fed enough fuel to make its surroundings shine brightly.

Latest Issue

Astronomy Now Newsletter

Join our mailing list.
* indicates required
Which elements of Astronomy interest you?

News Headlines

  • Witness to history: Artemis II, lunar exploration and hope
    2 April 2026
  • Artificial Intelligence uncovers more than 100 new worlds in NASA data
    25 March 2026
  • XRISM solves gamma-Cas’s 50-year X-ray mystery
    24 March 2026
  • Molten lava world points to new class of planet
    16 March 2026
  • Dr Allan Chapman (1946-2026)
    26 January 2026

© 2019 Pole Star Publications Limited

Astronomy Now