OSIRIS-REx Observes a Black Hole

The Osiris Rex mission made an unexpected discovery of a black hole 30,000 light years away using the Rexus instrument, originally designed to study asteroid Bennu. Rexus detects X-rays through a mask pattern, allowing scientists to pinpoint their origin. The black hole, a newly flaring X-ray binary, was also identified by Japan's Maxi telescope and NASA's NICER on the ISS. Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays, so such observations are only possible from space, marking a first for interplanetary space detection.

What was the primary purpose of the Rexus instrument?

• To determine the abundance of elements on asteroid Bennu

• To detect black holes

• To measure the distance to stars

• To observe the surface of Mars

How does Rexus determine the origin of X-ray signals?

• By measuring the temperature of the X-rays

• By calculating the speed of the X-rays

• By using a mask with a pattern of holes

• By analyzing the color of the X-rays

What did the Osiris Rex Mission unexpectedly detect?

• A black hole 30,000 light years away

• A new planet

• A comet approaching Earth

• A supernova explosion

Which telescopes also identified the newly discovered black hole?

• Hubble and Spitzer

• Chandra and Kepler

• James Webb and TESS

• Maxi and NICER

Why can X-ray blasts from black holes only be observed from space?

• Because Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays

• Because they are too faint to be seen from Earth

• Because they are too fast to be detected from Earth

• Because they occur only during the day