First True Astronomical Image of a Black Hole Event Horizon

[Principled Man]

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of radio antennae around the globe, has captured the first image of a black hole event horizon. This black hole is located in Messier 87, or M87, which is about 53 million light years from Earth.

 

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has studied M87 many times over its 20-year mission and sees a much wider field-of-view than the EHT.

 

By combining Chandra data with the EHT image, scientists can learn more about the giant black hole and its behavior.

 

http://chandra.si.edu/photo/2019/black_hole/black_hole_eht.jpg

 

 

http://chandra.si.ed..._hole/more.html

Edited April 11, 2019 by Principled Man

[Fordgalaxy]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

[Principled Man]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

 

The black hole is at the core of Messier 87, an extremely large galaxy 53 million light-years from our system.

What we see in the image is the core of the galaxy as it existed 53 million years ago.

As galaxies like M87 are billions of years old, it's highly likely that M87 is still there.

 

The black hole's mass is estimated to be around 6.5 billion solar masses.

 

 

http://www.lagranepoca.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/messier-87-675x300.jpg

 

 

Astronomers are currently observing the radio source Sagittarius A*, which is at the core of our own galaxy.

They strongly believe that it is also a super-massive black hole, with an estimated mass of 4 million solar masses.

[goose]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

 

 

The video above explains some of what you're asking. And yes, we are studying images of the object's past.

 

This article explains a bit more: http://chandra.harvard.edu/blog/node/719

 

...the first image ever taken of a black hole (more precisely, of its shadow) truly rises up to that standard. By definition, nothing not even light, can escape the gravitational grasp of a black hole. This, however, is only true if you get too close, and the boundary between what can and cannot get away is called the event horizon.

 

...

 

While Chandra can’t see the shadow itself, its field of view is much larger than the EHT’s, so Chandra can view the full length of the jet of high-energy particles launched by the intense gravitational and magnetic fields around the black hole. This jet extends more than 1,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.

 

To use an analogy, consider a trumpeter in a concert hall: the EHT data, taken from radio telescopes around the globe, provide a close-up view of the mouthpiece (the origin of the sound, like the “central engine” of M87). The Chandra data, by contrast, reveal the sound waves as they travel down the trumpet and reverberate around the concert hall. (As with many analogies, the scale is not exact.) We need both of these pieces in order to understand the sound completely. (For a music analogy for interferometry and the EHT from the CfA’s Katie Bouman, see

).

 

As for the investigation of the black hole in M87, Chandra has been on the case for quite some time. First off, let’s start with some basics. M87 is an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster, about 60 million light years away from Earth. For years, scientists have known that a supermassive black hole weighing several billion times the mass of the Sun sits at the center of M87.

 

Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light. Chandra's studies of this hot gas have given astronomers insight into the behavior and properties of the giant black hole. For example, astronomers have used Chandra data to discover ripples in the hot gas, which provide evidence for repeated outbursts from the black hole roughly every 6 million years or so. (As an aside and extension to the music analogy, these ripples represent sound waves in the hot gas. Since they are uneven, the “note” would likely be unharmonious noise rather than a melodic tone, many octaves below the threshold of human hearing.

Edited April 11, 2019 by goose

[invisible airwave]

 

Well well well. Look what 2006 song is trending.

[Fordgalaxy]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

 

 

The video above explains some of what you're asking. And yes, we are studying images of the object's past.

 

This article explains a bit more: http://chandra.harva...u/blog/node/719

 

...the first image ever taken of a black hole (more precisely, of its shadow) truly rises up to that standard. By definition, nothing not even light, can escape the gravitational grasp of a black hole. This, however, is only true if you get too close, and the boundary between what can and cannot get away is called the event horizon.

 

While Chandra can’t see the shadow itself, its field of view is much larger than the EHT’s, so Chandra can view the full length of the jet of high-energy particles launched by the intense gravitational and magnetic fields around the black hole. This jet extends more than 1,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.

 

To use an analogy, consider a trumpeter in a concert hall: the EHT data, taken from radio telescopes around the globe, provide a close-up view of the mouthpiece (the origin of the sound, like the “central engine” of M87). The Chandra data, by contrast, reveal the sound waves as they travel down the trumpet and reverberate around the concert hall. (As with many analogies, the scale is not exact.) We need both of these pieces in order to understand the sound completely. (For a music analogy for interferometry and the EHT from the CfA’s Katie Bouman, see

).

 

As for the investigation of the black hole in M87, Chandra has been on the case for quite some time. First off, let’s start with some basics. M87 is an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster, about 60 million light years away from Earth. For years, scientists have known that a supermassive black hole weighing several billion times the mass of the Sun sits at the center of M87.

 

Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light. Chandra's studies of this hot gas have given astronomers insight into the behavior and properties of the giant black hole. For example, astronomers have used Chandra data to discover ripples in the hot gas, which provide evidence for repeated outbursts from the black hole roughly every 6 million years or so. (As an aside and extension to the music analogy, these ripples represent sound waves in the hot gas. Since they are uneven, the “note” would likely be unharmonious noise rather than a melodic tone, many octaves below the threshold of human hearing.

 

Not sure if anyone here could answer this, but how to they know any of this? How do they know this black hole weighs any amount much less several billion times the mass of the Sun? How do they know a galaxy is elliptical? How do they know it's surrounded by "multi-million degree gas"?

 

Also, if I did the math correctly, and it's likely I didn't, it would take more than 59,000 years for light from M87 to reach us (please correct me if that's wrong, and I rounded down when making calculations). Secondly, the article says "Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light". To be able to see that, it would take more than 118,000 years for that light to get there and return and on this point there is no question, X-rays didn't exist 59,000 years ago. What am I missing?

[Principled Man]

Not sure if anyone here could answer this, but how do they know any of this? How do they know this black hole weighs any amount much less several billion times the mass of the Sun? How do they know a galaxy is elliptical? How do they know it's surrounded by "multi-million degree gas"?

 

Telescopes. Gamma-ray telescopes, X-Ray telescopes, Ultra-violet telescopes, Visible light telescopes, Infrared telescopes, Radio wave telescopes. They measure light in virtually all wavelengths. They also observe and measure the speed and distance of the many stars that revolve around the black hole in the center of the galaxy. That is just one way to calculate the mass of the black hole.

 

Astronomers know that a galaxy is elliptical because they look at it, and they see that its shape is elliptical. They see galaxies that are spiral shaped, so they call them "spiral galaxies".

 

Also, if I did the math correctly, and it's likely I didn't, it would take more than 59,000 years for light from M87 to reach us (please correct me if that's wrong, and I rounded down when making calculations). Secondly, the article says "Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light". To be able to see that, it would take more than 118,000 years for that light to get there and return and on this point there is no question, X-rays didn't exist 59,000 years ago. What am I missing?

 

There is no math to do. Galaxy M87 is 53 million light-years away from us. The light emanating from the galaxy takes 53 MILLION years to travel to us, and our telescopes observe it. That's it.

 

You are familiar with the electromagnetic spectrum, I hope. The multi-million degree gas emits light, just like any hot substance emits light. In this case, the super-hot gas emits a lot of x-rays. Astronomers use x-ray telescopes to observe potential black holes, because the matter being destroyed by the black hole emits a lot of x-rays. The destruction of matter always emits high levels of gamma rays and x-rays.

[OldRUSHfan]

Colbert mentioned this on his show last night....

[edhunter]

It looks like a piece of pepper that fell into my grill.

[Fordgalaxy]

Not sure if anyone here could answer this, but how do they know any of this? How do they know this black hole weighs any amount much less several billion times the mass of the Sun? How do they know a galaxy is elliptical? How do they know it's surrounded by "multi-million degree gas"?

 

Telescopes. Gamma-ray telescopes, X-Ray telescopes, Ultra-violet telescopes, Visible light telescopes, Infrared telescopes, Radio wave telescopes. They measure light in virtually all wavelengths. They also observe and measure the speed and distance of the many stars that revolve around the black hole in the center of the galaxy. That is just one way to calculate the mass of the black hole.

 

Astronomers know that a galaxy is elliptical because they look at it, and they see that its shape is elliptical. They see galaxies that are spiral shaped, so they call them "spiral galaxies".

 

Also, if I did the math correctly, and it's likely I didn't, it would take more than 59,000 years for light from M87 to reach us (please correct me if that's wrong, and I rounded down when making calculations). Secondly, the article says "Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light". To be able to see that, it would take more than 118,000 years for that light to get there and return and on this point there is no question, X-rays didn't exist 59,000 years ago. What am I missing?

 

There is no math to do. Galaxy M87 is 53 million light-years away from us. The light emanating from the galaxy takes 53 MILLION years to travel to us, and our telescopes observe it. That's it.

 

You are familiar with the electromagnetic spectrum, I hope. The multi-million degree gas emits light, just like any hot substance emits light. In this case, the super-hot gas emits a lot of x-rays. Astronomers use x-ray telescopes to observe potential black holes, because the matter being destroyed by the black hole emits a lot of x-rays. The destruction of matter always emits high levels of gamma rays and x-rays.

 

Thank you. I wasn't aware that anything emitted X-rays except machines made to do so. Because that really hot gas (as opposed to Hotgoo) emits those, that negates the idea I had that we sent those X-rays and then measured how they returned. Enlightening.

[goose]

There's all kinds of stuff that comes our way that we can study and measure, giving insight into the composition of the Cosmos.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray

[snowdogged]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

 

 

The video above explains some of what you're asking. And yes, we are studying images of the object's past.

 

This article explains a bit more: http://chandra.harva...u/blog/node/719

 

...the first image ever taken of a black hole (more precisely, of its shadow) truly rises up to that standard. By definition, nothing not even light, can escape the gravitational grasp of a black hole. This, however, is only true if you get too close, and the boundary between what can and cannot get away is called the event horizon.

 

While Chandra can’t see the shadow itself, its field of view is much larger than the EHT’s, so Chandra can view the full length of the jet of high-energy particles launched by the intense gravitational and magnetic fields around the black hole. This jet extends more than 1,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.

 

To use an analogy, consider a trumpeter in a concert hall: the EHT data, taken from radio telescopes around the globe, provide a close-up view of the mouthpiece (the origin of the sound, like the “central engine” of M87). The Chandra data, by contrast, reveal the sound waves as they travel down the trumpet and reverberate around the concert hall. (As with many analogies, the scale is not exact.) We need both of these pieces in order to understand the sound completely. (For a music analogy for interferometry and the EHT from the CfA’s Katie Bouman, see

).

 

As for the investigation of the black hole in M87, Chandra has been on the case for quite some time. First off, let’s start with some basics. M87 is an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster, about 60 million light years away from Earth. For years, scientists have known that a supermassive black hole weighing several billion times the mass of the Sun sits at the center of M87.

 

Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light. Chandra's studies of this hot gas have given astronomers insight into the behavior and properties of the giant black hole. For example, astronomers have used Chandra data to discover ripples in the hot gas, which provide evidence for repeated outbursts from the black hole roughly every 6 million years or so. (As an aside and extension to the music analogy, these ripples represent sound waves in the hot gas. Since they are uneven, the “note” would likely be unharmonious noise rather than a melodic tone, many octaves below the threshold of human hearing.

 

Not sure if anyone here could answer this, but how to they know any of this? How do they know this black hole weighs any amount much less several billion times the mass of the Sun? How do they know a galaxy is elliptical? How do they know it's surrounded by "multi-million degree gas"?

 

Also, if I did the math correctly, and it's likely I didn't, it would take more than 59,000 years for light from M87 to reach us (please correct me if that's wrong, and I rounded down when making calculations). Secondly, the article says "Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light". To be able to see that, it would take more than 118,000 years for that light to get there and return and on this point there is no question, X-rays didn't exist 59,000 years ago. What am I missing?

Here is the simple answer to your question.

[Babycat]

Probably because I don't know how they can be sure, but how do they know what that is? If it's that far away, it may not even exist anymore considering how long it would take that light to get here.

 

 

The video above explains some of what you're asking. And yes, we are studying images of the object's past.

 

This article explains a bit more: http://chandra.harva...u/blog/node/719

 

...the first image ever taken of a black hole (more precisely, of its shadow) truly rises up to that standard. By definition, nothing not even light, can escape the gravitational grasp of a black hole. This, however, is only true if you get too close, and the boundary between what can and cannot get away is called the event horizon.

 

While Chandra can’t see the shadow itself, its field of view is much larger than the EHT’s, so Chandra can view the full length of the jet of high-energy particles launched by the intense gravitational and magnetic fields around the black hole. This jet extends more than 1,000 light years from the center of the galaxy.

 

To use an analogy, consider a trumpeter in a concert hall: the EHT data, taken from radio telescopes around the globe, provide a close-up view of the mouthpiece (the origin of the sound, like the “central engine” of M87). The Chandra data, by contrast, reveal the sound waves as they travel down the trumpet and reverberate around the concert hall. (As with many analogies, the scale is not exact.) We need both of these pieces in order to understand the sound completely. (For a music analogy for interferometry and the EHT from the CfA’s Katie Bouman, see

).

 

As for the investigation of the black hole in M87, Chandra has been on the case for quite some time. First off, let’s start with some basics. M87 is an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster, about 60 million light years away from Earth. For years, scientists have known that a supermassive black hole weighing several billion times the mass of the Sun sits at the center of M87.

 

Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light. Chandra's studies of this hot gas have given astronomers insight into the behavior and properties of the giant black hole. For example, astronomers have used Chandra data to discover ripples in the hot gas, which provide evidence for repeated outbursts from the black hole roughly every 6 million years or so. (As an aside and extension to the music analogy, these ripples represent sound waves in the hot gas. Since they are uneven, the “note” would likely be unharmonious noise rather than a melodic tone, many octaves below the threshold of human hearing.

 

Not sure if anyone here could answer this, but how to they know any of this? How do they know this black hole weighs any amount much less several billion times the mass of the Sun? How do they know a galaxy is elliptical? How do they know it's surrounded by "multi-million degree gas"?

 

Also, if I did the math correctly, and it's likely I didn't, it would take more than 59,000 years for light from M87 to reach us (please correct me if that's wrong, and I rounded down when making calculations). Secondly, the article says "Surrounding the elliptical galaxy is a reservoir of multimillion-degree gas, which glows brightly in X-ray light". To be able to see that, it would take more than 118,000 years for that light to get there and return and on this point there is no question, X-rays didn't exist 59,000 years ago. What am I missing?

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

Snowdogged, my claws, your booty that's a simple answer....! :P

[Principled Man]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

[OldRUSHfan]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adam's answer...

[Principled Man]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adams' answer...

 

Which means it's the TRUTH! Douglas Adams (may he rest in peace) knows EVERYTHING. :notworthy:

[Babycat]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adams' answer...

 

Which means it's the TRUTH! Douglas Adams (may he rest in peace) knows EVERYTHING. :notworthy:

 

:notworthy:

[grep]

There's a 2 second lag to receive transmissions from the Moon. When we see that video, we know that's the state of things 2 seconds ago. Then the rover/astronauts move on and do the next thing. Leave, whatever.

 

Don't think it's much of a stretch to understand that what we're looking at from this galaxy is it's state 53 million years ago. It has since moved and done different things. Perhaps grow in size, perhaps fizzle out.

[Fordgalaxy]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adams' answer...

 

Which means it's the TRUTH! Douglas Adams (may he rest in peace) knows EVERYTHING. :notworthy:

 

Clearly not. He didn't know how to stay alive.

[OldRUSHfan]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adams' answer...

 

Which means it's the TRUTH! Douglas Adams (may he rest in peace) knows EVERYTHING. :notworthy:

 

Clearly not. He didn't know how to stay alive.

 

That is beyond HUMAN knowledge.

[snowdogged]

Here is the simple answer to your question.

 

42

 

 

 

Fixed. :D

 

That is Douglas Adams' answer...

 

Which means it's the TRUTH! Douglas Adams (may he rest in peace) knows EVERYTHING. :notworthy:

 

Clearly not. He didn't know how to stay alive.

 

That is beyond HUMAN knowledge.

It's BANANA knowledge.

[Fordgalaxy]

How true.

 

[goose]

How true.

 

How stupid.

 

If the black hole scientists were all screaming about the Earth being sucked into the vortex in ten years unless we all recycle more, we'd have a good comparison.

Edited April 18, 2019 by goose

[Fordgalaxy]

How true.

 

How stupid.

 

If the black hole scientists were all screaming about the Earth being sucked into the vortex in ten years unless we all recycle more, we'd have a good comparison.

 

Not all scientists are saying we'll be underwater or whatever in 10 years. The point being, some science is accepted (by both sides) and some isn't. It's just interesting what people's politics lead them to believe.

[goose]

How true.

 

How stupid.

 

If the black hole scientists were all screaming about the Earth being sucked into the vortex in ten years unless we all recycle more, we'd have a good comparison.

 

Not all scientists are saying we'll be underwater or whatever in 10 years. The point being, some science is accepted (by both sides) and some isn't. It's just interesting what people's politics lead them to believe.

The science isn't very disputable. That's just observation. The conclusions are.