X-rays have much higher energy than visible light and cannot pass through the Earth atmosphere. So one must launch a special kind of telescope above the atmosphere to see X-rays from astronomical objects. The first X-ray telescopes in the 1960s led to many important discoveries (as recognized by the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics). X-ray astronomy is now routinely used to provide insight into some of the most energetic processes in the Universe, including the swallowing of matter by black holes. The most powerful X-ray telescopes that currently orbit the Earth are the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM Newton telescope.