  The central pointlike X-ray source of the Cas A supernova remnant was
discovered in the Chandra First Light Observation and found later in the
archival ROSAT and Einstein images. The analysis of these data does not show
statistically significant variability of the source. The power-law fit yields
the photon index 2.6-4.1, and luminosity (2-60)e34 erg/s, for d=3.4 kpc. The
power-law index is higher, and the luminosity lower, than those observed
fromvery young pulsars. One can fit the spectrum equally well with a blackbody
model with T=6-8 MK, R=0.2-0.5 km, L=(1.4-1.9)e33 erg/s. The inferred radii are
too small, and the temperatures too high, for the radiationcould be interpreted
as emitted from the whole surface of a uniformly heated neutron star. Fits with
the neutron star atmosphere models increase the radius and reduce the
temperature, but these parameters are still substantially different from those
expected for a young neutron star. One cannot exclude, however, that the
observed emission originates from hot spots on a cooler neutron star surface.
Because of strong interstellar absorption, the possible low-temperature
component gives a small contribution to the observed spectrum; an upper limit
on the (gravitationally redshifted) surface temperature is < 1.9-2.3 MK.
Amongst several possible interpretations, we favor a model of a strongly
magnetized neutron star with magnetically confined hydrogen or helium polar
caps on a cooler iron surface. Alternatively, the observed radiation may be
interpreted as emitted by a compact object (more likely, a black hole)
accreting from a fossil disk or from a late-type dwarf in a close binary.
