![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2017\/06\/xmm-newton_slew_tracks\/16975275-1-eng-GB\/XMM-Newton_slew_tracks_small.jpg\")
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\nThis blue \u2018ball of string\u2019 actually records 2114 movements made by ESA\u2019s XMM-Newton space telescope as it shifted its gaze from one X-ray object to another between August 2001 and December 2014.\n<\/p>\n
\nOrbiting in space since 1999, XMM-Newton is studying high-energy phenomena in the Universe, such as black holes, neutron stars, pulsars and stellar winds.\n<\/p>\n
\nEven when moving its focus between objects, the space telescope collects scientific data, revealing X-ray sources across the entire sky. After correcting for overlaps between slews, 84% of the sky has now been covered.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe plot is in galactic coordinates such that the centre of the plot corresponds to the centre of the Milky Way. The slew paths pass predominantly through the ecliptic poles<\/a>, indicated by the density of overlapping slew paths to the top left and bottom right.\n<\/p>\n \nThe image was created as part of the XMM-Newton Slew Survey Catalogue release in March 2017<\/a>, and which was featured as our Space Science Image of the Week last month<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \nThis week<\/a>, many scientists studying the X-ray universe are meeting to discuss the latest in high-energy astrophysics, including discoveries from current X-ray missions, as well as expectations of future missions.\n<\/p>\n \nOver 5000 papers have been published on XMM-Newton results to date. Scientists are also looking forward to the next generation of X-ray satellite, such as ESA\u2019s Athena<\/a>, the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics, which is expected to be launched towards the end of the next decade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nThis blue ‘ball of string’ actually records 2114 movements made by ESA’s XMM-Newton space telescope as it shifted its gaze from one X-ray object to another between August 2001 and December 2014.\n<\/p>\n \nOrbiting in space since 1999, XMM-Newton is studying high-energy phenomena in the Universe, such as black holes, neutron stars, pulsars and stellar winds.\n<\/p>\n \nEven when moving its focus between objects, the space telescope collects scientific data, revealing X-ray sources across the entire sky. After correcting for overlaps between slews, 84% of the sky has now been covered.\n<\/p>\n \nThe plot is in galactic coordinates such that the centre of the plot corresponds to the centre of the Milky Way. The slew paths pass predominantly through the ecliptic poles<\/a>, indicated by the density of overlapping slew paths to the top left and bottom right.\n<\/p>\n \nThe image was created as part of the XMM-Newton Slew Survey Catalogue release in March 2017<\/a>, and which was featured as our Space Science Image of the Week last month<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n