Table of Contents
- Since light cannot escape from a black hole’s event horizon (the point of no return), black holes are invisible in traditional images, appearing completely black. However, astronomers can study the surroundings of black holes, which emit various types of radiation detectable by telescopes on Earth and in space.
- In 2019, scientists made history by using the Event Horizon Telescope to capture the first-ever image of a black hole. This groundbreaking image revealed the supermassive black hole and its shadow at the centre of the M87 galaxy. The Event Horizon Telescope is a network of eight radio telescopes around the globe working together to capture this momentous image.
- This NASA animation illustrates how a black hole warps space around it, similar to how a funhouse mirror distorts reflections, due to its incredibly strong gravitational pull.
Blasting jets at (almost) the speed of light
NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory has revealed that the jets emitted by a well-known black hole are travelling at nearly the speed of light, about 99%. These high-speed jets originate from the black hole in the Messier 87 galaxy, the same one that was famously imaged for the first time by the Event Horizon Telescope.
In a wide-field image of Messier 87 captured by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, a white box highlights the location of the black hole’s powerful jet.
Black holes boost star birth millions of miles away.
Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes, scientists have discovered a black hole driving star formation in numerous galaxies, even across immense distances. Chandra detected intense X-rays (depicted in red) emitted by hot gas swirling around a black hole at the centre of a galaxy located an astonishing 9.9 billion light-years away from Earth.
1. Cygnus X-1
The bent light near the Cygnus X-1 black hole provides valuable insights into the twisted space and incredibly strong magnetic fields surrounding it. As the first black hole ever discovered, Cygnus X-1 is about 10 times heavier than the sun and spans a width of 18 miles (60 kilometres). Located 8,000 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation, this black hole draws gas from a nearby blue supergiant star, causing the gas to heat up intensely as it spirals inward. This process generates high-energy X-rays and gamma rays.
2. MWC 656
This image depicts an artist’s concept of the MWC 656 system, consisting of a massive “Be” star and its black hole companion. The star spins rapidly, releasing a disk of material around its equator. This material then spirals toward the black hole through a swirling accretion disk.
3. Blowing bubbles
A massive, invisible bubble surrounds the Cygnus X-1 black hole. This cavity, created by the black hole’s actions, was detected using a radio telescope. The cross on the radio image marks the location of Cygnus X-1. On the left (east) side of the black hole, a bright region can be seen—this is a dense cloud of gas, known as the interstellar medium, found in the space between stars.
4. Sagittarius A*
Theoretical calculations suggest that this is how the central black hole of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A*, will appear when captured by the Event Horizon Telescope. The image uses false colours to depict the light emitted by gas swirling around and falling into the black hole. The dark area at the center is the “black hole shadow”, formed when the black hole bends light around it.
5. Black hole swallows a star
These images, taken by NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer and the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Hawaii, show a brightening within a galaxy caused by a burst from its core. The arrow in each image points to the galaxy. This burst indicates that the central black hole of the galaxy is tearing apart a star that ventured too close.
6. Black hole simulation
A supercomputer simulation showing how matter falling into black holes produces light has significantly deepened our understanding of black hole behaviour. Researchers analysed a simulation of a black hole roughly the size of a star, observing how it emits two types of X-rays from the material spiralling into these incredibly dense objects. This labelled image highlights key aspects of the simulation, including the black hole’s event horizon.
7. Stuck in the middle with a black hole
This image showcases one of the nine major galaxies analysed by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory about black hole rotation. The galaxy featured, NGC 5846, contains a supermassive black hole at its center.
8. Evidence
In the image, a glowing hydrogen gas blob is shown in yellow on the left side. On the right, blue light signifies the expansion of a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s center.
9. Eat to the beat
This artist’s rendering illustrates how space-time is warped by a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. The black hole consumes dark matter at a rate determined by its mass and the amount of dark matter in its vicinity.
10. Smash it up
A massive black hole, hidden at the center of the nearby Centaurus A, engulfs a smaller galaxy in a spectacular collision.
Conclusion
Black holes are among the universe’s most captivating and enigmatic objects. From the immense supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies to the stellar black holes formed by collapsed stars, these mysterious entities have intrigued both scientists and the public alike.
With the help of advanced telescopes and cutting-edge observational methods, astronomers have made significant strides in understanding the properties and behaviours of black holes. By studying their gravitational effects on nearby objects and observing the powerful jets and emissions produced by their intense gravitational pull, scientists are continuously uncovering the secrets of these cosmic phenomena.
Though much progress has been made, there’s still a vast amount to learn about black holes and their impact on the universe. Ongoing research and exploration will likely bring new insights and discoveries, illuminating the fundamental nature of space, time, and gravity.
As we dive deeper into the mysteries of the cosmos, black holes continue to be a compelling subject of study. They offer tantalising clues about the nature of the universe and our place within it.
