Tag: black hole
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This Week in Science: Runaway Black Hole, Casablanca Ancestor Found, and Vaccine Schedule Changes
Overview: A Week of Breakthroughs in Space, Anthropology, and Public Health This week’s science headlines span the vast reaches of the cosmos to the intimate depths of human history, with telescope-powered observations, a surprising archaeological find in Morocco, and a real-world update to vaccine timing. From a runaway supermassive black hole fleeing its galaxy to…
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Runaway black hole, Casablanca ancestor, vaccine cuts: this week in science
Runaway black hole: a galaxy’s rogue traveler This week’s astronomy news centers on a remarkable discovery verified by the James Webb Space Telescope: a supermassive black hole that has achieved escape velocity from its host galaxy. Researchers estimate the black hole is careening through space at an astonishing pace—reported as roughly 2.2 million miles per…
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Sagittarius A* Reveals Violent Past of Milky Way’s Black Hole
Introduction: A Black Hole With a Hidden History The supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), has long been thought of as a quiet giant. Recent findings from an international X-ray spacecraft challenge that quiet image, suggesting Sgr A* was far more violent billions of years ago.…
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Wobbling Black Hole Jet Revealed in Nearby Disk Galaxy: A Galaxy-Scale Revelation
Introduction: A Milky Way-Neighbor’s Dramatic Revelation Astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea have identified the largest and most extended stream of super-heated gas flowing from a nearby disk galaxy. This discovery provides the clearest evidence yet that a supermassive black hole can launch powerful jets that distort and heat their galactic surroundings,…
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Galaxy-wide wobbling black hole jet revealed in a disk galaxy
Overview: A giant, wobbling jet reshapes our view of galactic centers In a landmark discovery from the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi, astronomers have identified a galaxy-wide stream of super-heated gas emanating from a disk galaxy. This jet is not only unusually large and extended, but it also appears to wobble at cosmic…
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Galaxy-Wide Wobbling Black Hole Jet Revealed in a Disk Galaxy
A Landmark Discovery in Galactic Physics In a breakthrough observation, astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea have identified the largest and most extended stream of super-heated gas escaping a nearby disk galaxy. This unprecedented detection offers compelling evidence that a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s center is not only emitting a…
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Whippet TDE: Black Hole Eruption of 400 Billion Suns Energy
What is a Tidal Disruption Event (TDE)? A Tidal Disruption Event, or TDE, occurs when a star ventures too close to a supermassive black hole. The black hole’s immense gravity tears the star apart, scattering stellar debris that heats up and emits intense radiation. These cosmic cataclysms offer a rare glimpse into otherwise quiescent black…
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Whippet: A Giant TDE Shocks the Cosmos with 400 Billion Suns of Energy
What is the Whippet and why does it matter? The Whippet is a remarkable tidal disruption event (TDE) that has captured the attention of astronomers worldwide. In a TDE, a star ventures too close to a supermassive black hole and is ripped apart by extreme gravity. The shredded stellar material becomes energized, emitting light and…
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Whippet: The Tidal Disruption Event That Blasted 400 Billion Suns’ worth of Energy
What is the Whippet and why it matters The cosmos delivered a jaw-dropping spectacle recently when astronomers observed a tidal disruption event (TDE) nicknamed the “Whippet.” In a TDE, a star wanders too close to a supermassive black hole, gets torn apart by gravity, and some of its stellar debris is flung outward. The Whippet…
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Blue Blaze: What LFBOTs Reveal About Black Holes Shredding Stars
Introduction: A New Class of Cosmic Light In the vastness of space, some events blaze with a brightness so intense that they momentarily outshine entire galaxies. Among these are Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients, or LFBOTs, a rare class of stellar explosions characterized by their striking blue color and rapid evolution. Scientists have long debated…