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Sometimes Black Holes Are Prettier in Pink

M83
This image, taken by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory in 2012, shows an extraordinary outburst from a black hole.

This false-color image, taken by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory in 2012, shows an extraordinary outburst from a black hole – where its X-ray output increased at least 3,000 times – in the galaxy M83. Chandra observed what is called a ULX, or ultraluminous X-ray source. The remarkable behavior of this ULX in M83 provides direct evidence for a population of older, volatile, stellar-mass black holes.

Learn more about this black hole and view other images.

Image Credit: Optical: ESO/VLT; Close-up – X-ray: NASA/CXC/Curtin University/R.Soria et al., Optical: NASA/STScI/Middlebury