Andromeda
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Black hole

MAXI J1820+070

Also ASASSN-18ey

Open in Ouranos

A black hole in an X-ray binary that flared up in 2018, becoming one of the brightest X-ray sources in the sky.

Measured

Distance
about 9,654 light-years (published estimates 8,578–10,730)
Constellation
Ophiuchus
Position (J2000)
RA 18h 20m 22s, Dec +7.19°

How far, from the Sun

About 9,650 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light9,650 years
  • Voyager 1's speed172 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h104 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 distance comes from a radio parallax of its compact radio jets.
  • Its distance comes from a radio parallax, measured by radio telescopes thousands of kilometres apart working as one.

Where this comes from

  • Radio parallax, Atri et al. 2020, MNRAS 493, L81 (2.96 ± 0.33 kpc)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.