RX J1242−11

RX J1242.6−1119A (often abbreviated RX J1242−11) is an elliptical galaxy located approximately 200 megaparsecs (about 650 million light-years) from Earth. According to current interpretations of X-ray observations made by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton, the center of this galaxy is a 100 million solar mass supermassive black hole which was observed to have tidally disrupted a star (in 1992 or shortly before).^[1] The discovery is widely considered to be the first strong evidence of a supermassive black hole ripping apart a star and consuming a portion of it.^[2]

RX J1242−11
A Chandra X-ray Observatory image of RX J1242-11.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	12h 42m 36.9s
Declination	−11° 19′ 35″
Distance	650 Mly (200 Mpc)[1]
Characteristics
Type	elliptical
Notable features	Pair of Galaxies = [KG99] A + [KG99] B.
Other designations
RX J1242.6-1119A

Location in the sky

The location of RX J1242.6-1119A, as seen from Earth, is less than one degree to the northeast of Messier 104, the Sombrero Galaxy.

References

1. Komossa, S.; Halpern, J.; Schartel, N.; Hasinger, G.; Santos-Lleo, M.; Predehl, P. (May 2004), "A Huge Drop in the X-Ray Luminosity of the Nonactive Galaxy RX J1242.6-1119A, and the First Postflare Spectrum: Testing the Tidal Disruption Scenario", The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 603 (1): L17–L20, arXiv:astro-ph/0402468, Bibcode:2004ApJ...603L..17K, doi:10.1086/382046, S2CID 53724998
2. NASA: "Giant Black Hole Rips Apart Unlucky Star"

External links

• Komossa's Object
• Chandra X-Ray Observatory Photo Album – February 18, 2004
• 41QuarkBuchiNeri.pdf