XMM-Newton SOC Home Page - XMM-Newton

Welcome to the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre

The European Space Agency's (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESA's second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations.

Since Earth's atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.

Read more about the spacecraft, mirrors and instruments and about the XMM-Newton SOC.

News and Highlights

eROSITA witnesses the awakening of massive black holes 29-Apr-2021
Using the SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey data, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics have found two previously quiescent galaxies that now show quasi-periodic eruptions...which was confirmed by follow-up observations with the XMM-Newton.
Further details on Max Planck Institute web portal.

Quasi-periodic dipping detected in an ultraluminous X-ray source 28-Apr-2021
Astronomers have performed a timing analysis of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 247 ULX-1 using ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft. The study detected quasi-periodic dipping in the X-ray light curve of this source...NGC 247 ULX-1 was observed eight times by XMM-Newton over one month.
Further details on Phys.org web portal.

X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions from two previously quiescent galaxies 28-Apr-2021
Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are very-high-amplitude bursts of X-ray radiation recurring every few hours and originating near the central supermassive black holes of galactic nuclei...observations triggered with the XMM-Newton X-ray telescope confirmed the remarkable bursting nature of the source.
Further details on Narure web portal.

nusual flaring activity observed from the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 4559 X7 05-Apr-2021
Italian astronomers have performed X-ray observations of an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) known as NGC 4559 X7 and found that this source exhibits unusual flaring activity... analyzed all the available X-ray observations of NGC 4559 X7 taken with XMM-Newton.
Further details on Phys.org web portal.

When clouds collide 30-Mar-2021
Our galaxy is surrounded by numerous ‘satellite’ galaxies, the largest being the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)...Researchers have now used ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatory to explore the emission streaming from the X-ray spur at multiple wavelengths.
Further details on Science & Exploration web portal.

Physicists May Have Found Dark Matter: X-rays Surrounding “Magnificent 7” May Be Traces of Theorized Particle 15-Jan-2021
Researchers say they may have found proof of theorized axions, and possibly dark matter, around a group of neutron stars...from two space satellites: the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and NASA’s Chandra X-ray telescopes.
Further details on SciTechDaily portal.