Pawn of Omphalos cover by Ken Barr

Published 1980 by Fawcett Gold Medal
written by E. C. Tubb

The planet Krait. It was dominated by the pulsing quivering kaleidoscopic Omphalos that filled the sky above. An unmeasurable mass that was said to have the power to swallow whole planets – even galaxies. Indeed, seven ships had been sent to explore its mysteries and none had returned.
Now there were those who believed that Krait was about to become its next victim. And Mark Carodyne had agreed to gamble his life to obtain the scientific data that might save the planet from destruction. One man. In a single ship. Skimming the edge of the unknown . . .

Edwin Charles Tubb was born in London in 1919, and was a prolific author of SF, fantasy and western novels, under his own name and a number of pseudonyms. He wrote hundreds of short stories and novellas for the SF magazines of the 50's, including the long-running Galaxy Science Fiction, and was a founding member of the British Science Fiction Association.
He was also the author of one of my favorite space opera series Dumarest of Terra that spanned 33 novels.
He died in 2010.