X-ray astronomy is the research area focused on detecting, imaging, and spectroscopically analyzing cosmic sources of X-ray photons, typically in the energy range of ~0.1–100 keV. Because Earth’s atmosphere is opaque to X-rays, this field relies on space-based observatories employing grazing-incidence optics, focusing telescopes, and high-resolution detectors such as CCDs, microcalorimeters, and proportional counters. X-ray astronomy probes high-energy astrophysical processes, including accretion onto compact objects, hot intracluster gas, supernova remnants, stellar coronae, and relativistic jets, enabling quantitative studies of extreme environments, plasma conditions, strong gravity, and energetic feedback in galaxies and large-scale structure.
A massive black hole at the heart of a galaxy in the Virgo constellation is waking up, shooting out intense X-ray flares at regular intervals that have puzzled scientists, a study said Friday.
Astronomy
Apr 13, 2025
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Our new study of the nearby starburst galaxy Haro 11 has shown that strong X-ray-emitting superwinds may be a key mechanism enabling galaxies to leak ionizing radiation, which is believed to have played a major role in the ...
Using NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Indian astronomers have performed X-ray observations of an X-ray binary designated 4U 1907+09. Results of the observational campaign, published April 3 on the arXiv ...
Using ESA's XMM-Newton satellite, Italian astronomers have observed a Galactic X-ray binary system known as 4U 0728-25. Results of the new observations, presented in a research paper published March 28 on the arXiv preprint ...
A Michigan State University researcher saw X-rays coming from a black hole using the NASA Chandra X-Ray Observatory telescope.
Astronomy
Apr 3, 2025
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Using NASA's Chandra X-ray observatory, astronomers have observed a massive and hot galaxy cluster known as PLCKG287.0+32.9 (or PLCKG287 for short). Results of the observational campaign, presented March 17 on the arXiv pre-print ...
X-ray astronomy is a somewhat neglected corner of the more general field of astronomy. The biggest names in telescopes, like Hubble and James Webb, don't even touch that bandwidth. And Chandra, the most capable space-based ...
Astronomy
Mar 17, 2025
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Italian astronomers report the detection of a new X-ray binary (XRB), which has received the designation 4XMM J181330.1-17511 (J1813 for short). The newfound object represents the rare subclass of XRBs known as supergiant ...
Chinese astronomers investigated the spectral and temporal properties of a black hole X-ray binary system known as SLX 1746–331, during its recent outburst. Results of the study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, ...
The XRISM collaboration has discovered flows of hot gas in the core of the Centaurus Cluster. By comparing state-of-the-art X-ray measurements from the XRISM satellite with numerical simulations, they showed this is evidence ...
Astronomy
Mar 10, 2025
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