Ancient black hole speeds through Sun's galactic neighborhood, devouring companion star
Data from the Digitized Sky Survey has played an important supporting role in the discovery of an ancient black hole speeding through the Sun's galactic neighborhood, devouring a small companion star as the pair travels in an eccentric orbit looping to the outer reaches of our Milky Way galaxy. This artist's impression illustrates the dramatic journey.
Credit:A. Feild (STScI)
About the Image
About the Object
Name: | XTE J1118+480 |
Type: | Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Black Hole Milky Way : Star : Type : Exotic : X-Ray Binary Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster : Globular |
Distance: | 5500 light years |
Category: | Quasars and Black Holes |