Tag Archives: Hole

For more than a century, astronomers have marveled at the brilliant jet of matter blasting from the heart of the giant elliptical galaxy M87. Now, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided the clearest-ever infrared view of this cosmic powerhouse, revealing fresh details about the black hole-driven jet, and even catching sight of its elusive twin streaming in the …

Your typical black hole merger sounds like a cosmic violin warming up—a gentle “chirp” that builds as two massive objects spiral toward their final dance. GW190521 threw out that playbook entirely. “This doesn’t look much like a chirp,” said Nelson Christensen, a LIGO and Virgo scientist. “This is more like something that goes ‘bang.’” Detected on May 21, 2019, this …

A black hole analog could tell us a thing or two about an elusive radiation theoretically emitted by the real thing. Using a chain of atoms in single file to simulate the event horizon of a black hole, a team of physicists in 2022 observed the equivalent of what we call Hawking radiation – particles born from disturbances in the …

IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 The James Webb Space Telescope provides new insights into Sagittarius B2, a crucial star-forming region in the Milky Way. 🔭 Webb’s infrared capabilities reveal details of cosmic dust and protostar formation that were previously hidden. 🌀 Strong magnetic fields in Sagittarius B2 may act as barriers to efficient star formation, according to recent data. 🌠 Discoveries …

In May 2019, astronomers picked up something strange in the fabric of spacetime. The LIGO and Virgo detectors recorded a gravitational wave that lasted just one-tenth of a second. The signal, known as GW190521, was unusual straight away because it didn’t look like the normal “chirps” usually produced when two black holes orbit one another before colliding. Instead, it sounded …

In May 2019, astronomers picked up something strange in the fabric of spacetime. The LIGO and Virgo detectors recorded a gravitational wave that lasted just one-tenth of a second. The signal, known as GW190521, was unusual straight away because it didn’t look like the normal “chirps” usually produced when two black holes orbit one another before colliding. Instead, it sounded …

A decade ago, scientists first detected ripples in the fabric of space-time, called gravitational waves, from the collision of two black holes. Now, thanks to improved technology and a bit of luck, a newly detected black hole merger is providing the clearest evidence yet of how black holes work — and, in the process, offering long-sought confirmation of fundamental predictions …

Based on multi-year data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), the finding reveals a dynamic and unstable region just outside M87*’s event horizon. While the black hole’s shadow has remained unchanged, the surrounding magnetized plasma has undergone dramatic shifts, offering new clues about how black holes interact with their surroundings. Located about 55 million light-years away, M87* is a supermassive …

IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 Astronomers discover a unique gamma-ray burst lasting nearly a full day, challenging existing theories. 🔭 Advanced telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope confirm the burst originated outside the Milky Way. 🌀 The event may involve an intermediate-mass black hole, a rare cosmic object. 🔍 Researchers are focused on determining the exact location and energy output of …

This week’s science news has been dominated by medical marvels, with the announcement of a breakthrough gene therapy that has treated Huntington’s disease for the first time. Huntington’s disease is relatively rare, affecting 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 people in the U.S., but it’s a cruel and terrible disease. Caused by a single defective gene, the disease runs through families …