How Black Holes Light Up the Universe

Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory explain how black holes light up the universe.
Audio of the event will be streamed live on the Web at: www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Panelists:

  • Dr. Jon Miller, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich


  • Dr. John Raymond, Astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Mass.


  • Dr. Meg Urry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.


Graphics:

  1. Illustration of an AGN

  2. Illustration of a Stellar-Mass Black Hole

  3. Animation of a Black Hole Pulling Matter from Companion Star: Quicktime | MPEG

  4. Chandra X-ray Spectrum of GRO J1655-40

  5. Evidence for Wind in the GRO J1655-40 Spectrum

  6. Illustration of Magnetic Fields in GRO J1655-40

Factoids

  • Full Author List: Jon Miller (Univ. of Michigan), John Raymond (CfA), Andy Fabian (Cambridge), Danny Steeghs (CfA), Jeroen Homan (MIT), Chris Reynolds (Univ. of Maryland), Michiel van der Klis (Univ. of Amsterdam), Rudy Wijnands (Univ. of Amsterdam)
  • Distance to GRO J1655-40: 11,000 light years
  • Observation date: April 1, 2005
  • Exposure length: 18 hours

Links



Instant Replay Plus Information:
An instant replay of the media telecon will be available after the end of the telecon. Call: 866-454-1418 (toll free). This service will be available until JUN-28-06 10:59 PM (CT).

NASA-TV Video File:
A video file about the discovery will air on NASA TV on June 21. NASA TV is carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. It's available in Alaska and Hawaii on AMC-7 at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization.