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10

Apr

Black hole snacks on ‘super Jupiter’ planet Scientists believe that the black hole only devoured about 10 percent of the gas giant’s mass, leaving a ‘denser core’ behind.

Black hole snacks on ‘super Jupiter’ planet

Scientists believe that the black hole only devoured about 10 percent of the gas giant’s mass, leaving a ‘denser core’ behind.

1 month ago Short URL 117 notes

science/space/black hole/Jupiter/

10

Mar

Black hole in Milky Way prepares to gobble up space cloud The cosmic spectacle should offer scientists a chance to test some of their theories about how black holes pull in mass.

Black hole in Milky Way prepares to gobble up space cloud

The cosmic spectacle should offer scientists a chance to test some of their theories about how black holes pull in mass.

2 months ago Short URL 154 notes

space/science/black hole/Milky Way/

06

Mar

ikenbot: International Efforts Accurately Measure Black Hole’s Spin for First Time: It’s Near The Speed of Light Astronomers have recently been able to finely measure the spin of a supermassive Black hole and as expected, it’s really really fast, near light speed fast: The black hole in question resides 60 million light years away at the centre of the NGC 1365 spiral galaxy, is a mind-boggling 3.2 million kilometres in diameter, has a mass two million times that of our Sun and is spinning at a rather impressive 1.08 billion km/h. Astronomers can now say this with confidence, after combining the efforts of Nasa’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (Nustar) — which measures high-energy X-rays — and the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton, which measures low-energy X-rays. The former was launched in June 2012 to track and measure the highest energy events in space. However, without the aid of ESA’s device, it was unable to determine whether the measurements of warped X-rays being taken were a result of nearby gas clouds manipulating results, or the black hole’s own gravitational pull. — The find is an important one, because it helps astronomers understand the life of a black hole — which stretches, pulls on and distorts space, and can affect the evolution of galaxies — which in turn helps test the accuracy of Einstein’s theory of relativity, which argues that gravity can bend space and time. “The black hole’s spin is a memory, a record, of the past history of the galaxy as a whole,” Guido Risaliti of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, the lead author of a paper revealing the results, said in a statement. Journal Reference: Nature For more on Black Holes and Astrophysics.

ikenbot:

International Efforts Accurately Measure Black Hole’s Spin for First Time: It’s Near The Speed of Light

Astronomers have recently been able to finely measure the spin of a supermassive Black hole and as expected, it’s really really fast, near light speed fast:

The black hole in question resides 60 million light years away at the centre of the NGC 1365 spiral galaxy, is a mind-boggling 3.2 million kilometres in diameter, has a mass two million times that of our Sun and is spinning at a rather impressive 1.08 billion km/h. Astronomers can now say this with confidence, after combining the efforts of Nasa’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (Nustar) — which measures high-energy X-rays — and the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton, which measures low-energy X-rays.

The former was launched in June 2012 to track and measure the highest energy events in space. However, without the aid of ESA’s device, it was unable to determine whether the measurements of warped X-rays being taken were a result of nearby gas clouds manipulating results, or the black hole’s own gravitational pull.

—

The find is an important one, because it helps astronomers understand the life of a black hole — which stretches, pulls on and distorts space, and can affect the evolution of galaxies — which in turn helps test the accuracy of Einstein’s theory of relativity, which argues that gravity can bend space and time.

“The black hole’s spin is a memory, a record, of the past history of the galaxy as a whole,” Guido Risaliti of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, the lead author of a paper revealing the results, said in a statement.

Journal Reference: Nature

For more on Black Holes and Astrophysics.

2 months ago Short URL 1,787 notes

ikenbot via ikenbot

science/black hole/

28

Feb

Massive black hole’s spin revealed Astronomers think supermassive black holes acquire most of their spin as they grow, so studying their rotation rates can yield insights into how they have evolved.            

Massive black hole’s spin revealed
Astronomers think supermassive black holes acquire most of their spin as they grow, so studying their rotation rates can yield insights into how they have evolved.            

2 months ago Short URL 385 notes

science/space/black hole/

14

Feb

Monster black holes grow surprisingly fast Central black holes can grow quite rapidly in quiet, merger-free spirals simply by sucking up galactic gas and other matter.

Monster black holes grow surprisingly fast
Central black holes can grow quite rapidly in quiet, merger-free spirals simply by sucking up galactic gas and other matter.

3 months ago Short URL 98 notes

science/space/black hole/

08

Jan

Monster black hole burp surprises scientists Scientists had been studying the far-flung galaxy for years, and found that it went from ‘being placid and quiescent’ to having a ‘hugely energetic outburst at the end.’

Monster black hole burp surprises scientists
Scientists had been studying the far-flung galaxy for years, and found that it went from ‘being placid and quiescent’ to having a ‘hugely energetic outburst at the end.’

4 months ago Short URL 67 notes

science/black hole/space/

28

Nov

Biggest black hole blast could solve cosmic mysteryScientists have wondered why galaxies are generally less massive than they should be, and black hole eruptions could be the key.

Biggest black hole blast could solve cosmic mystery
Scientists have wondered why galaxies are generally less massive than they should be, and black hole eruptions could be the key.

5 months ago Short URL 156 notes

science/space/black hole/

23

Oct

Black hole revealed in rare star explosionThe black hole is thought to be 20,000 to 30,000 light-years away in the Milky Way’s inner region.

Black hole revealed in rare star explosion
The black hole is thought to be 20,000 to 30,000 light-years away in the Milky Way’s inner region.

7 months ago Short URL 272 notes

black hole/science/space/

05

Oct

Racing star could prove Einstein’s theoryAstronomers have found evidence of a star racing around the black hole at the heart of our galaxy — the closest found near the matter-sucking body.

Racing star could prove Einstein’s theory
Astronomers have found evidence of a star racing around the black hole at the heart of our galaxy — the closest found near the matter-sucking body.

7 months ago Short URL 234 notes

space/star/science/black hole/Einstein/

04

Oct

Black holes, early galaxies grew up togetherDistant, active galaxies emit strong far-infrared radiation which means that star formation is taking place, creating hundreds of new stars per year.

Black holes, early galaxies grew up together
Distant, active galaxies emit strong far-infrared radiation which means that star formation is taking place, creating hundreds of new stars per year.

7 months ago Short URL 133 notes

science/space/black hole/