NASA’S NuSTAR Catches a Black Hole Bending Light, Space, and Time

universetoday.com ^ | August 13, 2014 | Shannon Hall on

[BenLurkin]

In just a matter of days, the corona — a cloud of particles traveling near the speed of light — fell in toward the black hole. The observations are a powerful test of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which says gravity can bend space-time, the fabric that shapes our universe, and the light that travels through it.

“The corona recently collapsed in toward the black hole, with the result that the black hole’s intense gravity pulled all the light down onto its surrounding disk, where material is spiraling inward,” said coauthor Michael Parker from the Institute of Astronomy

...

NuSTAR observations also revealed that the grip of the black hole’s gravity pulled the corona’s light onto the inner portion of the accretion disk, better illuminating it. NASA explains that as if somebody had shone a flashlight for the astronomers, the shifting corona lit up the precise region they wanted to study.

“We still don’t understand exactly how the corona is produced or why it changes its shape, but we see it lighting up material around the black hole, enabling us to study the regions so close in that effects described by Einstein’s theory of general relativity become prominent,” said NuSTAR Principal Investigator Fiona Harrison of the California Institute of Technology. “NuSTAR’s unprecedented capability for observing this and similar events allows us to study the most extreme light-bending effects of general relativity.”

The new data will likely shed light on these mysterious coronas, where the laws of physics are pushed to their limit.

[tet68]

where the laws of physics are pushed to their limit.

There won’t be a QuickTrip left standing on the galactic
rim...

[Hot Tabasco]

the black hole’s intense gravity pulled all the light down onto its surrounding disk, where material is spiraling inward,”

I'd sure like to know what lies within a black hole.........most likely my missing socks.

[outofsalt]

Light absorbing hole...Black hole is racist!

[faithhopecharity]

And a certain infamous birth certificate

[BenLurkin]

And most of our tax dollars.

[left that other site]

This might be of interest!

PING

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

#3: Possibly my former wife!

[Southack]

If there are pure space objects, such as planets...and space-time objects such as black holes...then it stands to reason that there are pure “time” objects.

Just write me in for Person of the Year 2006.

[Henry Hnyellar]

And some “crashed” hard drives.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Well, there are a couple of black aholes in the White House. Do they count re this article or are we still maintaining a semblance of civility?

If so, I’ll just change it to “There are a couple of aholes in the White House”. You should have heard what I said when the Clintons were in the White House. I left nothing to the imagination. Aholes are aholes no matter what color they are.

Besides, in space, almost everything is black, including “holes” (see: “Black Hole”, the Disney movie)

[BenLurkin]

Pure time objects.

Impressive concept.

[Southack]

Thanks. Most people don’t get it, though.

[BenLurkin]

I know I don’t. But am going to think about it.

[The Cajun]

......then it stands to reason that there are pure “time” objects.

The universe itself is probably *the* time object.
Without it, wouldn't be much have happened, happening or going to happen.
Maybe time had to crank up first in the quantum fluctuation that caused the big bang enabling the spatial dimensions to *git* going :)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks left that other site.

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[left that other site]

No...those missing socks are stuck in the Hose-zone.

[left that other site]

My pleasure!
I enjoys stringing along on these topics, but I usually get sucked in.