Artist's impression of Cygnus X-1
Cygnus X-1 is located about 10 000 light years from Earth. It is one of the more violent places in our Galaxy. The black hole, Cygnus X-1, contains about five times the mass of the Sun, squeezed into a tiny sphere a few kilometres in diameter. Because of its density, it possesses an enormous gravitational field, which is pulling matter away from its companion star, HDE 226868. The companion is a massive star, known as a blue supergiant. It has an extremely hot surface temperature of 31 000K. As the gas spirals towards the black hole, it is heated even further and gives off X-rays and gamma rays. Uniquely, Integral can detect all these types of radiation.
Credit:NASA, ESA, Martin Kornmesser (ESA/Hubble)
About the Image
Id: | cygx1_illust_orig |
Type: | Artwork |
Release date: | 1 January 2002 |
Size: | 3508 x 2480 px |
About the Object
Name: | Cygnus X-1 |
Type: | Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Black Hole |
Distance: | 7000 light years |
Category: | Quasars and Black Holes |