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Black hole

A0620-00

Also V616 Monocerotis · Nova Monocerotis 1975

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A black hole orbited closely by an orange dwarf star, one of the nearest known black holes.

Measured

Distance
about 3,460 light-years (published estimates 3,070–5,610)
Constellation
Monoceros
Position (J2000)
RA 6h 22m 44s, Dec −0.35°

How far, from the Sun

About 3,460 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light3,460 years
  • Voyager 1's speed61.5 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h37.3 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • Its 1975 outburst briefly made it the brightest X-ray source in the sky.
  • It has about 6.6 times the Sun's mass; its companion orbits every 7.75 hours.
  • It also erupted in 1917, an outburst found only in 1975 on old Harvard photographic plates.

Where this comes from

  • Cantrell et al. 2010 (1.06 ± 0.12 kpc); Gaia DR2 suggests up to about 1.7 kpc

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.