Chandra Links AT 2016blu’s Recurrent Outbursts to Accretion

Chandra X-ray observations connect AT 2016blu’s roughly 113-day eruptions to material falling onto a compact companion; during an outburst the source was at least 100 times brighter in X-rays than in earlier observations. The companion could be a stellar-mass black hole or neutron star, and follow-up must establish its nature and test any link to ultraluminous X-ray sources.