Astronomy Picture for Today

nasa ^ | 04/27/2006 | dg

[HOTTIEBOY]

NGC 4696: Energy from a Black Hole
Composite Image Credit: X-ray in red - NASA/ CXC/S.Allen (Kavli Inst., Stanford) et al.; Radio in blue - NRAO/G.Taylor (VLA); Infrared in green - NASA/ESA/W.Harris (McMaster Univ.)




Animation of Black Hole in Elliptical Galaxy

Animated sequence of Black Hole

In many cosmic environments, when material falls toward a black hole energy is produced as some of the matter is blasted back out in jets. In fact, such black hole "engines" appear to be the most efficient in the Universe, at least on a galactic scale. This composite image illustrates one example of an elliptical galaxy with an efficient black hole engine, NGC 4696. The large galaxy is the brightest member of the Centaurus galaxy cluster, some 150 million light-years away. Exploring NGC 4696 in x-rays (red) astronomers can measure the rate at which infalling matter fuels the supermassive black hole and compare it to the energy output in the jets to produce giant radio emitting bubbles. The bubbles, shown here in blue, are about 10,000 light-years across. The results confirm that the process is much more efficient than producing energy through nuclear reactions - not to mention using fossil fuels. Astronomers also suggest that as the black hole pumps out energy and heats the surrounding gas, star formation is ultimately shut off, limiting the size of large galaxies like NGC 4696.

[HOTTIEBOY]

I like to think I know a fair amount about Astro Physics. But this boggles my brain.

Cool animations of this incomprehensible energy source.

[HOTTIEBOY]

[EagleUSA]

Cool animations of this incomprehensible energy source.
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It is difficult to comprehend such energy over such large distances in space. It only amplifies the insignificance of our planet's size, and even the energy of our sun.

[silverleaf]

Whoever designed the universe knew what He was doing.

[HOTTIEBOY]

>>>>amplifies the insignificance of our planet's size, and even the energy of our sun.<<<<


True dat. This thing could swallow a million of our Suns and not skip a beat. It wouldn't even grow in diameter.

You know, a pulsar is probably the closest thing to a black hole. One single drop of pulsar material is so dense, it equals the mass of every single person on earth. You would have to take all of humanity and crush us until we fit into that single drop no bigger than a pea.

Black hole scan devour pulsars without knowing it.

[EagleUSA]

Black hole scan devour pulsars without knowing it.
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Yes, it is difficult to imagine that kind of mass and gravity. Gravity so intense, light energy cannot get away from it...

[RightCanuck]

Oh,... I get it!

[ThinkPlease]

A good way to describe a pulsar is a failed black hole. A pulsar is the end product of a process that wasn't massive enough to create a black hole. Both are created by supernovae, only that Pulsars are measured to have masses of a solar mass or two, while a black hole is something much more massive, 3 solar masses or larger.

Generally, if you add another sun's mass to a pulsar, chances are the end product has so much gravitational pull that light can't escape and the thing becomes a black hole.

[GregoTX]

It is awe-inspiring.

[phantomworker]

It is difficult to comprehend such energy..."

Cool way to say that!!

[G8 Diplomat]

"I like to think I know a fair amount about Astro Physics"

Well, for starters, astrophysics is one word and not capitalized ;)