1.   At those close distances, the powerful gravity of the fast-living neutron star begins to rip gaseous material from the outer layers of its companion.

2.   Chandra recently observed a small flare from the vicinity of the black hole, an extremely dense object with gravity so powerful than light cannot escape it.

3.   Nothing, not even light, can escape the powerful gravity near a black hole.

4.   The light is probably emitted by matter torn from young galaxies by the powerful gravity of a black hole.