This clip shows the continuing rapid variability of the black hole microquasar known as GRS 1915+105 and neutron star binary systems Circinus X-1 and Scorpius X-1.

The microquasar exhibits extremely rapid variations in brightness - time scales of seconds to hours - when viewed with the powerful PCA experiment on the Rossi Observatory. It also exhibits superliminal jets at radio wavelengths.

The neutron star in Cir X-1 is a highly unusual object among x-ray binaries. It's in a long elliptical orbit with its normal gaseous companion. It passes close to the normal star once every 16 days, gets a load of gas dumped on it, which causes it to become bright and cool (red in the animation) every 16 days.

Sco X-1 is a persistent x-ray source (always present in the sky) and it is usually among the brightest sources in the sky.