Alternate Names

V381 Normae

Type

Stellar mass

Location

In the constellation Norma

Distance

17,000 light-years

Mass

10 to 15 times the mass of the Sun

Size

Diameter roughly 35-55 miles (60-90 km)

Discovery Methods

• Detection of an accretion disk

XTE J1550-564

Two bright jets of gas race away from the black hole in this artist's concept. A disk of hot gas, shown in red and yellow, surrounds the black hole. The ends of the jets, which are about two light-years from the black hole, are shown in blue.

An artist's concept shows a black hole (right) stealing gas from a bloated stellar companion. The gas forms a hot disk around the black hole. Powerful magnetic fields in the disk propel some of the gas back into space before it can be swallowed by the black hole. This gas forms high-speed jets from the black hole's north and south poles.

This document was last modified: February 12, 2012.