Emission Nebula Sh2-101 and Cygnus X-1

Move your mouse over the image to locate Cygnus X-1.

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Emission Nebula Sh2-101 and Cygnus X-1

Back in 1962, a strong X-ray source was identified in Cygnus. The star labelled above with the mouseover (9th Mag. HDE 226868) was identified by Tom Bolton, using the 74 inch telescope at the David Dunlop Observatory in Toronto, as a black hole candidate and the source of the X-ray emissions. Cygnus X-1 is a binary system, with the black hole orbiting HDE 226868. It is believed to be between 7 and 13 solar masses with an orbital period of 5.6 days. More information on Cygnus X-1 can be found here or at Wikipedia. More on Tom Bolton's involvement is available here from the University of Toronto magazine. Of course, as a black hole has such strong gravity that light can't escape meaning that you can't actually see it. But the star that it orbits is visible, the pointer above shows that star. The nebula in this image is SH2-101, also known as the Tulip Nebula. Camera: SBIG ST-8XE at -15C Filter: Schuler 10nm Hydrogen Alpha Scope: Takahashi FSQ-106N Exposure: 2 x 30 minutes Location: Mt. Kobau B.C. Date: August 5, 2005

Back in 1962, a strong X-ray source was identified in Cygnus. The star labelled above with the mouseover (9th Mag. HDE 226868) was identified by Tom Bolton, using the 74 inch telescope at the David Dunlop Observatory in Toronto, as a black hole candidate and the source of the X-ray emissions. Cygnus X-1 is a binary system, with the black hole orbiting HDE 226868. It is believed to be between 7 and 13 solar masses with an orbital period of 5.6 days. More information on Cygnus X-1 can be found here or at Wikipedia. More on Tom Bolton's involvement is available here from the University of Toronto magazine.
Of course, as a black hole has such strong gravity that light can't escape meaning that you can't actually see it. But the star that it orbits is visible, the pointer above shows that star. The nebula in this image is SH2-101, also known as the Tulip Nebula.
Camera: SBIG ST-8XE at -15C
Filter: Schuler 10nm Hydrogen Alpha
Scope: Takahashi FSQ-106N
Exposure: 2 x 30 minutes
Location: Mt. Kobau B.C.
Date: August 5, 2005