A new ultra-luminous X-rays source (ULX) was recently discovered with Swift inNGC 6643. 200 days of Swift XRT coverage revealed an apparently periodic riseand fall of the X-ray flux with a period of around 55 days. Only two otherperiodic ULXs are know to date. We propose five 10 ks XMM-Newton EPICobservations to confirm and measure the period with high precision, needed toderive the mass of the mass donating object, and to study spectral changes atdifferent phases to investigate changes in the accretion process. Together withour existing Swift XRT, Chandra ACIS, VLA radio and Keck UBRI data, theXMM-Newton observations will invigorate discussions about the nature of ULXs andwhether these enigmatic sources are due to accreting black holes are super-Eddington neutron stars.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2009-06-30T12:58:39Z/2009-08-23T15:42:54Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs 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 Earths 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.
European Space Agency, Dr Stefan Immler, 2010, 'An Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Source with a Period of 55 Days', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-gfsnpq1
