LMC X-3
LMC X-3 is an X-ray binary star in the constellation Dorado.
Black hole in an X-ray binary, one of the first found outside our galaxy (Large Magellanic Cloud)
Facts
| Type | X-ray binary star (spectral type B2.5Ve) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Dorado |
| Position (J2000) | 5h 38m 56s, −64° 05′ |
| Brightness | magnitude 17.2 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 727 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
LMC X-3 is highest in the sky at midnight in December. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 6° above the horizon; 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