LMC X-1
LMC X-1 is an X-ray binary star in the constellation Dorado, about 179,390 light-years from Earth.
Black hole in an X-ray binary in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Facts
| Type | X-ray binary star (spectral type O8(f)p) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Dorado |
| Position (J2000) | 5h 39m 38s, −69° 44′ |
| Distance | 179,390 light-years (its light set off about 179,390 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 14.5 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 1.4′ × 1.4′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Studied in | 712 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
LMC X-1 is highest in the sky at midnight in December. It never rises from India (about 20° N); from 50° N it never rises. To see it you need a large telescope or long-exposure photos.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Dorado
Everything in Dorado · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits