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.

Crédit:

ESO/P. Crowther

À propos de l'image

Identification:eso1004c
Type:Observation
Date de publication:27 janvier 2010 12:00
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso1004
Taille:930 x 928 px

À propos de l'objet

Nom:NGC 300 X-1
Type:Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Black Hole
Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Distance:6 million années lumière
Constellation:Sculptor
Catégorie:Galaxies
Quasars and Black Holes
Stars

Formats des images

Grand JPEG
285,3 Kio
JPEG taille écran
242,6 Kio

Zoomable


Fonds d'écran

1024x768
248,5 Kio
1280x1024
358,6 Kio
1600x1200
454,2 Kio
1920x1200
484,9 Kio
2048x1536
631,0 Kio

Coordinates

Position (RA):0 55 9.92
Position (Dec):-37° 42' 7.67"
Field of view:1.95 x 1.95 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.1° right of vertical

Couleurs & filtres

DomaineLongueur d'ondeTélescope
Visible
B
Very Large Telescope
FORS2
Visible
OIII
500 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Visible
H-alpha
Very Large Telescope
FORS2