Hard-state Optical Wind during the Discovery Outburst of the Black Hole X-Ray Dipper MAXI J1803–298
- Journal:
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Published:
- DOI:
- 10.3847/2041-8213/ac502f
- Affiliations:
- 3
- Authors:
- 9
Research Highlight
X-ray-emitting binary system likely to have a black hole
Science Photo Library - MARK GARLICK/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
A binary system emitting X-rays is probably harbouring a black hole, spectral measurements indicate.
Astronomical systems known as low-mass X-ray binaries consist of a neutron star or black hole that is stripping material from a companion star. About 60 of those discovered to date are suspected to have black holes. But of these, only one third have actually been confirmed to harbour a black hole.
Now, a team of researchers from the University of La Laguna found that a low-mass X-ray binaries discovered in May 2021 has a compact object with a mass of three to ten times that of the Sun, which points to it being a black hole.
The team arrived at this conclusion by analysing the optical and infrared spectroscopic observations during the outburst of X-ray that first alerted astronomers to the object’s existence.
References
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters 926, L10 (2022). doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ac502f
Institutions | Authors | Share |
---|---|---|
Institute of Astrophysics of Canarias (IAC), Spain | 0.44 | |
University of La Laguna (ULL), Spain | 0.44 | |
European Southern Observatory (ESO), Chile | 0.11 |