Four years after the iconic image of the first black hole at the heart of Messier 87 was published, the elliptical galaxy 55 million light-years from Earth is making history again with another image. this time from the same structure spewing a powerful astrophysical jet. While previous images of M87 have captured the black hole and jet, they have not yet been shown together.
The new image, which emerged as a result of observations made in 2018 by the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA), Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Greenland Telescope (GLT) telescopes, shows for the first time how the basis of this species is. the jet attaches to the swirling matter of the massive black hole before feeding on its surface, in a process called accretion by astronomers.
In contrast to the stellar boogeyman image conceived a few decades ago, black holes inside galaxies are surrounded by these massive accretion disks. and eject impressive jets perpendicular to the diskA process that is not yet fully understood by scientists.
How important is the new image of the black hole in M87?
The relevance of the new image is that it shows the astrophysical jet emerging very close to the black hole, as well as revealing what scientists call the “black hole’s shadow.” Gradually, the matter orbiting this region heats up and emits a lot of light. This gravitational singularity bends and catches some of that light.it forms a ring-like structure around the darkness.
While this type of observation may seem confusing to the untrained eye, Astronomers can see the base of the jet connecting to the accretion disk around M87.
The study, published April 26, states, “Near the black hole, the emission profile from the jet ejection site is broader than the expected profile of a jet propelled by a black hole, suggesting the possible presence of wind associated with the accretion flow.” Nature magazine.
Why M87 again?
Once again, in addition to future partnerships between telescopes, the black hole at the center of galaxy M87 was chosen for this new research because it is both close to Earth (by intergalactic standards) and very large, 6.5 billion times the mass of the Sun.
For comparison, the black hole Sagittarius A at the center of our galaxy has a mass a thousand times smaller.
Source: Tec Mundo
I’m Blaine Morgan, an experienced journalist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the tech industry. My expertise lies in writing about technology news and trends, covering everything from cutting-edge gadgets to emerging software developments. I’ve written for several leading publications including Gadget Onus where I am an author.
