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Astronomers Discover Two Feeding Black Holes in Early Universe
Confirmed
In Short: Astronomers have discovered two feeding black holes in a galaxy from the early universe, more than doubling the previous distance record.
Astronomers have discovered two feeding black holes in a galaxy from the early universe, more than doubling the previous distance record.
According to stellar evolution models, there should be hundreds of millions of black holes floating around in our galaxy, and the new discovery offers unusually direct evidence for the growth of black holes through the process of finding and swallowing one another.
The event occurred when the universe was only about 3 billion years old, and the black holes were found inside 'infant' galaxies which should never have been able to support them, according to Hannah Übler, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and lead author of the new Astronomy & Astrophysics study.
As Übler explained, 'This is the first evidence of three active black holes in a single galaxy in the distant universe.' The black holes are just 175 parsecs apart, and their discovery was made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope and other new observatories that have been looking back to the dawn of the universe.
The black holes were detected through a phenomenon called 'microlensing,' where the light from a star bends around a black hole as it passes in front of it, creating an effect known as 'microlensing.'
The discovery of these black holes not only sets a new distance record but also provides insights into the early universe and the formation of black holes.
The study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, highlights the importance of continued observation and research into the early universe to better understand the formation and evolution of black holes.
While the discovery is significant, it also raises questions about the conditions that allowed these black holes to form and grow in such a young universe.
What this adds
The new method to extract energy directly from rotating black holes, first proposed by physicist Roger Penrose in 1969, is not directly related to this discovery but highlights ongoing research into black hole dynamics.
Background
Universe Today reports on a new method to extract energy directly from rotating black holes, a concept first proposed by physicist Roger Penrose in 1969.
What's confirmed
- Astronomers have discovered two feeding black holes in a galaxy from the early universe, more than doubling the previous distance record.
- According to stellar evolution models, there should be hundreds of millions of black holes floating around in our galaxy, and the new discovery offers unusually direct evidence for the growth of black holes through the process of finding and swallowing one another.
- The event occurred when the universe was only about 3 billion years old, and the black holes were found inside 'infant' galaxies which should never have been able to support them, according to Hannah Übler, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and lead author of the new Astronomy & Astrophysics study.
- As Übler explained, 'This is the first evidence of three active black holes in a single galaxy in the distant universe.' The black holes are just 175 parsecs apart, and their discovery was made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope and other new observatories that have been looking back to the dawn of the universe.
- The discovery of these black holes not only sets a new distance record but also provides insights into the early universe and the formation of black holes.
- The study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, highlights the importance of continued observation and research into the early universe to better understand the formation and evolution of black holes.
- While the discovery is significant, it also raises questions about the conditions that allowed these black holes to form and grow in such a young universe.
What's still developing
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