Articles tagged with Black Holes
A team led by Reinhard Genzel reports detecting powerful infrared flares from a region just outside the supermassive black hole, indicating rapid rotation. The observed signals suggest that the black hole's fundamental orbital time is about half of the maximum spin allowed by general relativity.
Astronomers detect near-infrared flares from hot gas falling into the black hole, revealing its rapid rotation and chaotic environment. The findings provide unprecedented information about what happens just outside the event horizon.
A new model suggests that the Big Bang could have been an explosion within a black hole, with the universe expanding into an infinite space. The theory, developed by UC Davis and University of Michigan mathematicians, satisfies Einstein's equations while allowing for expansion.
Scientists found that galaxies and extremely massive black holes seem to grow together, with rapidly growing black holes fueling faster galaxy growth. This discovery sheds light on an astrophysical mystery and reveals a crucial link between the two cosmic phenomena.
A team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery linking black hole growth to galaxy evolution. The study found that more than 20,000 galaxies contain growing black holes, mostly in massive galaxies with recent star formation. As the rate of black hole growth increases, so does the amount of recent star formation.
A team of astronomers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a new optical technique that enables gamma-ray telescopes to quickly identify TeV blazars, reducing identification time from three months to just one day. This breakthrough may provide insight into black hole physics and the origin of cosmic rays.
Astronomers discovered a galaxy without a visible central bulge but with a massive black hole, challenging previous assumptions about the formation of supermassive black holes. The galaxy's black hole has a mass approximately 10,000 to 100,000 times that of the sun.
Researchers have found evidence of high-speed winds blowing copious amounts of gas from the cores of quasar galaxies, powered by black holes. The winds may regulate black hole growth and create new stars, with a wind transporting substantial amounts of carbon, oxygen, and iron into the interstellar medium.
Researchers found a correlation between fluence and duration for both short and long bursts, but the degree of this relationship is statistically different at a 4.5 sigma significance level. This suggests that short bursts may originate from fundamentally different physical processes than long bursts.
Astronomers have strengthened the case for a massive black hole at the galactic center with observations of a newly discovered star. The star's high velocity and proximity to the black hole confirm its presence, ruling out alternative explanations.
A new study suggests that black holes can form before galaxies, with massive black holes found in even the smallest active galaxies. The research, led by Marianne Vestergaard at Ohio State University, uses a method to estimate the mass of distant black holes and finds that they are often more massive than previously thought.
Astronomers detected two active black holes at the center of galaxy NGC 6240 using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The binary black hole system will eventually merge, producing massive gravitational waves detectable by LISA.
Researchers tracked a star's orbit around a suspected black hole in the Milky Way, revealing its massive gravitational pull. The observation provides key evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center.
A star orbiting the massive Milky Way centre has been observed approaching the central black hole to within three times the distance between the Sun and Pluto. The new measurements provide conclusive evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy.
Researchers David Merritt and Ron Ekers developed a mathematical model suggesting that supermassive black holes merge when their host galaxies collide. The model demonstrates the realignment of larger black holes, resulting in sudden changes in jet direction, which can be observed as X-shaped patterns in galaxy images.
Researchers have developed a computer model to visualize gravitational waves produced by black-hole mergers, providing insight into Einstein's theory of general relativity. The model predicts that the waves will be relatively weak until moments before the merger, culminating in a thunderous impact.
The quasar APM 08279+5255 has a three times larger iron fraction than our solar system, contrary to expectations. This suggests an unknown efficient way of producing iron or the universe may be older than expected.
A new MIT model proposes that cosmic explosions may be triggered by a cosmic tango between a black hole and its companion, a spinning torus of stellar material. The model suggests that the energy released during this dance could explain recent observations of gamma-ray bursts.
Lawrence Livermore physicist Bruce Remington explores using lab astrophysics to recreate supernovae explosions, understand cosmic rays, and study black holes. Lab experiments also aim to probe planet interiors and gamma-ray bursts.
Researchers use theoretical calculation to understand merger process, predicting brief brightness increase and high-speed gas outflow. The study sheds light on quasar activation following super-massive black hole mergers, a phenomenon not yet fully understood.
Astronomers estimate masses of distant black holes using a new method developed by Marianne Vestergaard, allowing for more accurate understanding of quasar behavior. The study challenges previous theories suggesting a threshold mass above which black holes cause quasars to become radio-loud.
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory presented preliminary findings associating unique gas flows with rapidly rotating black holes. The study aims to explain unusual periodic timing properties in X-rays emitted near suspected black holes.
An international team of astronomers has discovered a very massive stellar black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy, weighing 14 times more than our Sun. The black hole is located in the binary system GRS 1915+105 and feeds on a low-mass star through a steady flow of stellar material.
A study by University of Warwick researchers found that English football games are characterized by fewer high-scoring matches compared to the rest of the world. In contrast, top division matches globally exhibit a much higher frequency of high scores, suggesting a significant difference in the level of excitement between the two.
A team of researchers using the XMM Newton satellite detected X-ray emissions from a supermassive black hole, indicating it is spinning and emitting energy through a complex magnetic field system. This discovery provides new insights into the behavior of supermassive black holes and their role in galaxy formation.
The Lazarus Team has made predictions for the gravitational waves emitted during black hole mergers, allowing for the first-ever detections. These simulations will provide astronomers with a set of templates to recognize signals in noise from detectors and deduce the masses and distances of the holes.
A massive star's remnant is discovered in the Milky Way galaxy, moving at an incredible speed of 300,000 miles per hour. The black hole, called XTE J1118+480, was gravitationally ejected from a globular cluster and has consumed its companion star.
A team of Rutgers astronomers has detected a galaxy without a supermassive black hole at its center, marking the first such discovery. The team used Hubble's high-resolution instruments to observe the galaxy M33 and concluded that only a black hole smaller than 3,000 solar masses could be present.
Scientists using Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered a supernova remnant in the center of our galaxy, which may help regulate a nearby supermassive black hole. The remnant is believed to be responsible for intense feeding of material into the black hole, followed by a period of starvation.
The discovery confirms the existence of an event horizon around the massive black hole Cygnus XR-1. The data shows chaotic fluctuations in ultraviolet light from swirling gas, consistent with theories of what scientists predict to see when matter falls close to the event horizon.
New analysis of astronomical data suggests that galaxies with rapid rates of star formation are linked to active supermassive black holes. The study found evidence that starbursts, regions of frequent and rapid star formation, may be obscuring the central black holes' emissions in some Seyfert galaxies.
A new X-ray telescope will allow astrophysicists to peer down the mouths of black holes with unprecedented resolution. The instrument can resolve an object the size of a Frisbee on the sun, enabling the study of stellar systems and astrophysical jets.
Scientists have found a mid-mass black hole in the M82 galaxy, which packs the mass of at least 500 suns into a region about the size of the Moon. The discovery opens a new field of research and suggests that such black holes may exist in our own galaxy.
Chandra has revealed unprecedented images of a blast wave from an exploding star, a flare from a brown dwarf, and a small galaxy being cannibalized by a larger one. The observatory's high resolution has enabled scientists to pinpoint sources of the X-ray background glow, leading to a better understanding of our universe.
Astronomers use Chandra to study a cloud of gas in NGC 4151, blown away from the black hole at incredible velocities. The observation shows how massive black holes disrupt their surroundings over vast distances.
Future orbiting X-ray telescopes will detect iron emissions in accretion disks around giant black holes, confirming their spin rates. This new telescope system could reveal the variability of X-ray emissions and test Einstein's theories on general relativity.
A team of researchers used the High Energy Transmission Grating to study a powerful gas flow surrounding a giant black hole. The wind is driven by intense radiation and contains elements such as oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, argon, and iron.
Astronomers have found evidence of a supermassive black hole similar to the one in our Milky Way in a nearby galaxy. The discovery was made using spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope and reveals details about the object's mass that could help scientists understand how these celestial phenomena are formed.
The Cangaroo II telescope detects gamma rays emitted by black holes and their surrounding electric and magnetic fields. Researchers aim to study the enormous effect of black holes on galaxy energy and evolution.
Astronomers have created an energy spectrum of hot gas surrounding a giant black hole using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The study reveals a warm blanket of gas expanding rapidly away from the black hole and provides insights into the complex nature of inflowing and outflowing gas in galaxies.
Researchers detect faint X-ray source close to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The discovery provides fresh insight into how the black hole is powered and may challenge current models.
The discovery sheds light on the formation and death of stars, revealing intricate structures such as neutron stars, black holes, and X-ray binary systems. The image provides valuable insights into the distribution of heavy atoms throughout the universe, offering a glimpse into the early history of the cosmos.
A team of scientists used Chandra to observe the Andromeda Galaxy and found a supermassive black hole with a surprisingly cool gas funneling into it. The temperature of this gas is only several million degrees, unlike other X-ray sources in the galaxy that reach millions of degrees.
Astronomers observe regular eruptions of hot gas every 45-90 minutes, chaotic system behaving like a giant particle collider. Researchers discover new class of flares made up of synchrotron radiation and plasma bubbles.
A team of astronomers led by University of Michigan professor Douglas Richstone discovered three new supermassive black holes in nearby elliptical galaxies. The formation and evolution of galaxies are linked to the presence of massive black holes, which played a crucial role in shaping galaxy development.
Astronomers predict that upcoming improvements in radio wave observation techniques could permit seeing a circular shadow at the heart of the galaxy, revealing the first image of a black hole's event horizon. This would be a final step in confirming the existence of black holes as cosmic reality.
Researchers from Max Planck Institute simulated grazing collisions of two black holes, finding huge amounts of energy coalescing black holes emit in gravitational waves. The simulations revealed that these events could release one percent of the combined mass's energy, a phenomenon thousand times more powerful than our sun's emissions.
Researchers at Ohio State University have found signs of a compact, supermassive object at the center of galaxy NGC 5548, suggesting the presence of a black hole. The study used data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite and ground-based telescopes to analyze changes in light from the galaxy's active galactic nucleus.
Astronomers have obtained the clearest view yet of the center of the Andromeda galaxy, revealing a double nucleus that has long puzzled scientists. The study uses new Hubble images to map the orbital motions of stars around the black hole at the galaxy's core.
New radio observations reveal that black holes in galaxies can be fed with gas, while the surrounding material remains intact. In NGC1097, a barred galaxy with a massive central black hole, researchers found that gas flows towards the black hole through a shock front, which is then redirected along the bar by magnetic fields.
Physicists Daniel Kabat and Gilad Lifschytz propose tachyons as the solution to explain how black holes absorb particles without violating M-theory. Tachyons, with imaginary mass, could provide a mechanism for energy absorption, making it possible for black holes to devour matter.
A researcher has detected an enormous black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, with a mass 2.6 million times that of our Sun. The discovery was made using advanced imaging techniques and provides a definitive view of a part of the galaxy previously unseen.
Researchers use Hubble Space Telescope to track dense dust and gas in central regions of Seyfert galaxies, finding spiral arms that extend from the nucleus to the rest of the galaxy. This discovery suggests an alternative to stellar bar-driven fueling, requiring further theoretical modeling to fully understand the mechanism.
Hot, ionized gas streams toward the galactic center, bending sharply around it and slingshoting out the other side due to its high velocity. The findings may provide clues to the nature of the mysterious black hole candidate.
Astronomers have detected the 'frame-dragging' effect, a prediction by Albert Einstein 80 years ago, in disks of gas swirling around black holes. The team used X-ray astronomy satellites to measure the precession of accretion disks, finding evidence of frame dragging in two black hole systems.
Astronomers have found powerful accelerators of material close to home, in our own galactic neighborhood, as nearby black holes with jets. The jets appear to move at velocities approaching the speed of light and are thought to be connected to the accretion disk and surrounding regions.
Researchers have developed a new theory that can pinpoint more black hole candidates in distant space by analyzing data from the NASA Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite. The team used this approach to identify a black hole candidate at GRS 1915+105, suggesting that others may exist before the year is out.
A University of Illinois professor has modeled gravitomagnetic induction as the gravitational analog of Faraday induction in electromagnetism. The effect could influence a neutron star's spin, internal structure and orbital motion.
Scientists detect unique X-ray vibrations in black hole candidate GRS 1915+105, potentially revealing its mass and rotation rate. The discovery is consistent with predictions made by the Stanford astrophysics group three years ago.
Astronomer Martin Gaskell suggests that many galaxies harbor pairs of giant black holes revolving around each other. His research on quasars indicates a clear trend in gas velocity changes over time, pointing to the presence of binary black holes with masses similar to 4 billion solar units.