On the Job

NuSTAR, a new space-based X-ray telescope, detected two possible black holes in the galaxy IC 342, as shown in this composite image. The craft was launched late last year, and this is among its first science results, which were reported at an astronomy conference on January 7. The possible black holes produce an X-ray glow that is shown in purple. The black holes may be of intermediate mass, a few thousand times heavier than the Sun, or they may be especially active stellar-mass black holes, which are only a few times the Sun's mass. Although the black holes themselves produce no energy, they are encircled by disks of superhot gas that is spiraling inward. The hot gas emits X-rays, allowing astronomers to discover the black holes. [NASA/JPL/DSS]