= Cosmic X-ray source
A <cosmic X-ray source> is an astronomical emitter detected through its <X-rays>. Hot <plasma>, energetic particles and matter falling into deep gravitational potentials can produce such radiation, so detection alone does not identify a <black hole> or one unique emission mechanism.
A useful observation proceeds from an excess of detector events to a sky location, <spectrum> and <light curve>. Background rejection and response <calibration> determine which incident photons could have produced those events. The <1962 rocket discovery of cosmic X-ray sources> illustrates how a scanning detector and an independent orientation measurement can establish a celestial signal without forming an ordinary optical image.
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