Astrophysics study explores mystery of ultraluminous X-ray sources
An international research team, including astronomers from the University of Southampton, has found new clues that help explain extreme interstellar objects that glow with X-ray light equal in energy to millions of suns.
The study of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) tapped into data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to build understanding of how the sources can shine so brightly.
Astronomers have identified a fourth ULX as a neutron star through the project, the first to be discovered in the M51 Whirlpool Galaxy. Dr Matthew Middleton, from Southamptonââ¬â¢s Department of Physics and Astronomy, has heralded the findings as a ââ¬Åmajor stepââ¬Â for the academic community.