A new telescope will enter unexplored territory by looking at the polarization of X-rays

NASA has just funded a balloon-borne telescope sensitive to the polarization of light that will float at an altitude of 130,000 feet for a day. The balloon will stare fixedly at two black holes in our galaxy, an accreting neutron star, the Crab nebula, an extragalactic black hole and other targets yet to be chosen. One of the first instruments of its type, it should be able to make the direct measurements of the spin rate of black holes, among other advancements. Read more