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XL-Calibur Telescope Reveals Secrets of Cygnus X-1

11/29/2025

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Story summary
  • The XL-Calibur telescope captured polarized X-ray measurements from Cygnus X-1, located 7,000 light-years away, revealing how superheated material behaves as it nears the black hole.
  • Physicists from Washington University in St. Louis contributed to the study.
  • The 2024 mission also recorded polarized X-rays from the Crab pulsar.
  • Future XL-Calibur flights are planned for 2027 from Antarctica to study black holes and neutron stars, potentially advancing understanding of black hole physics.