NASA Missions Monitor a Waking Black Hole
Quiet Stargazing

NASA Missions Monitor a Waking Black Hole

Explore the profound quiet of the universe through NASA's high-resolution archives. Perfect for your stargazing journey.

Celestial Log

NASA Observation

On June 15, NASA's Swift caught the onset of a rare X-ray outburst from a stellar-mass black hole in the binary system V404 Cygni. Astronomers around the world are watching the event. In this system, a stream of gas from a star much like the sun flows toward a 10 solar mass black hole. Instead of spiraling toward the black hole, the gas accumulates in an accretion disk around it. Every couple of decades, the disk switches into a state that sends the gas rushing inward, starting a new outburst. Read more: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/nasa-missions-monitor-a-waki... Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Download this video in HD formats from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=11110
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Knowledge Base

Stargazer FAQ

Are the colors in this nebula image real?

NASA often uses 'false color' techniques. Scientists map invisible wavelengths (like infrared) or specific gases to visible colors (red, green, blue) to highlight the nebula's structural details.

Can I see this nebula with a standard telescope?

While some bright nebulas are visible with entry-level telescopes, capturing these stunning details usually requires deep-sky astrophotography equipment and long exposures.