Summary:

- NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission has helped researchers determine the shape of the corona surrounding a black hole.
- The study found that the corona, a region of hot, highly energized particles, has a compact, spherical shape rather than a more extended, elongated structure as previously thought.
- This new understanding of the corona's shape provides insights into the complex physics and processes occurring near the black hole, which can help advance our knowledge of these extreme celestial objects.