Originally predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, black holes are the most extreme objects in the known universe. These objects form when stars reach the end of their life cycle, explode their outer layers, and are so gravitationally strong that nothing (not even light) can escape their surfaces.
They are also interesting because they allow astronomers to observe the laws of physics in the most extreme conditions. Periodically, these gravitational giants radiate stars and other nearby objects, releasing large amounts of light and radiation. Read in the text below what science has observed about black holes.
Do black holes “throw up” stars?
In 2018, astronomers witnessed such an event by observing a black hole in a galaxy located 665 million light years from Earth. Furthermore, astronomers have already witnessed events like this. Another equipment from Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics he observed some never seen before when examining the same black hole three years later.
As they explained in a recent study, the black hole glowed brightly because it was ejecting (or “burning”) the star’s remaining matter at half the speed of light. Their findings could provide new insights into how black holes feed on and decay over time.
The team was led by Yvette Cendes, CfA Associate Researcher, who joined an international team of researchers. The article describing their findings recently appeared in the Revue d’Astrophysique. As they state in their article, the team observed the explosion by reviewing data on tidal disturbance events (TDEs) that have occurred in recent years.
This occurs when stars pass very close to black holes and are separated into multiple passes, a process known as “spaghettification” due to the way stars are divided into filaments.
See also: CAIXA approves 3 withdrawals for thousands of workers; find out if you are entitled to extra money
The phenomenon intrigued scientists
In early 2021, scientists again examined radio data from the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico. To their surprise, they noticed that the black hole had mysteriously revived. As Cendes explains in a CfA press release:
“It took us completely by surprise: no one had ever seen anything like it before. We ask for the director’s discretionary time on multiple telescopes, that is, when you encounter something so unexpected that you can’t follow the telescope’s normal proposal cycle to observe it.
According to Edo Berger, professor of astronomy at Harvard University and the CfA and co-author of the new study, the TDE radio observations turned out to be the most impressive. The team concluded that this is because the black hole ejected residual material from the star at relativistic speeds (a description of the speed of light).
This is the first time astronomers have observed such a phenomenon, and the team doesn’t know why the flow has been delayed for several years. TDEs are known to emit light when they occur, as the star’s noodle-like material stretches around the black hole and heats up, creating a flash that astronomers can see millions of light-years away.
In some cases, the lost materials have returned to space, which our astronomers compare to black holes as “messy eaters”. However, outgoing emissions typically disappear quickly after a TDE begins rather than years later.
See also: After all, can I still redeem forgotten money at the Central Bank? Check the deadlines!
