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The black hole that cannot stop eating
FT.com ^
| January 7 2005
| Clive Cookson
Posted on 01/06/2005 8:33:19 PM PST by holymoly
Astronomers have recorded the most powerful eruption of energy yet observed in the universe. It comes from a gigantic black hole, a billion times more massive than our sun, which is swallowing vast amounts of material from its surrounding galaxy.
The eruption was discovered with the Chandra X-ray observatory operated by Nasa, the US space agency, and is reported in the journal Nature. Brian McNamara of Ohio University, the study leader, said he had previously observed vast cosmic bubbles of hot gas extending outward from "supermassive" black holes in distant galaxies, but "what literally almost knocked me off my chair was the scale, the magnitude of this one".
It is not yet clear where all the matter required to sustain the eruption is coming from, nor how the black hole can digest it. "It's like a 300lb person eating 100lb of meat in one sitting," says Prof McNamara.
Co-author Paul Nulsen of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics uses a similar analogy. "This new result is as surprising as it is exciting," he says. "This black hole is feasting when it should be fasting." The new study supports recent theories that supermassive black holes have a big impact on the structure of the universe. The black hole occupies a volume of space about the same size as our solar system but it affects a volume of space about 600 times the size of the whole Milky Way galaxy. "From this tiny region of space, the energy is spread out over enormous distances," Prof McNamara says.
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: big; black; eruption; galaxy; hole; huge; large; powerful; really; universe
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"It's like a 300lb person eating 100lb of meat in one sitting,"
So it's like Michael Moore?
1
posted on
01/06/2005 8:33:21 PM PST
by
holymoly
To: holymoly
This thread was going to be the perfect race to post the first picture of Lumpy Reifenstahl, but you beat us all to the punch.
2
posted on
01/06/2005 8:34:36 PM PST
by
Petronski
(I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.)
To: holymoly
Capt Picard couldn't be reached for comment.
3
posted on
01/06/2005 8:34:57 PM PST
by
xrp
(Executing assigned posting duties flawlessly -- ZERO mistakes)
To: holymoly
The black 'hole that cannot stop eating Oh.
To: martin_fierro
5
posted on
01/06/2005 8:44:06 PM PST
by
Hoosier-Daddy
(It's a fight to the death with Democrats.)
To: holymoly
When I saw the headline I thought the story was about the Federal budget!
To: holymoly
I knew something about Michael Moore would be on here.
To: holymoly
Oh. I thought this was a Kirsti Ally thread.
8
posted on
01/06/2005 8:57:04 PM PST
by
No Longer Free State
(If integrity does not reside in the captain of the ship, then it is not on board)
To: No Longer Free State
Oh. I thought this was a Kirsti Ally thread.
Actually, my first thought was Whoopi Goldberg. But then I realized it said black "hole".
9
posted on
01/06/2005 8:58:21 PM PST
by
holymoly
(If I keep saying it, it's because it's always true.)
To: martin_fierro
Now quit that, I haven't peed my pants since I was very small. You almost made it happen again!
10
posted on
01/06/2005 8:59:39 PM PST
by
mad_as_he$$
(Never corner anything meaner than you. NSDQ)
To: holymoly
11
posted on
01/06/2005 9:03:05 PM PST
by
zencat
(The universe is not what it appears, nor is it something else.)
To: holymoly
The black hole occupies a volume of space about the same size as our solar system but it affects a volume of space about 600 times the size of the whole Milky Way galaxy.
That is unbelievable. Every time i try to think about that my brain oozes out of my ears. Which is why i can't see Moooore's picture. No seriously....the size of our solar system. And when you think a black hole is super compact (no air bubbles in that mess) so if you took all that matter and uncompressed it...dang
12
posted on
01/06/2005 9:04:42 PM PST
by
tfecw
(dolphins are the spawn of evil)
To: holymoly
13
posted on
01/06/2005 9:06:20 PM PST
by
timestax
To: tfecw
That is unbelievable. Every time i try to think about that my brain oozes out of my ears.
Sounds like the Total Perspective Vortex, ala Douglas Adams.
14
posted on
01/06/2005 9:09:04 PM PST
by
zencat
(The universe is not what it appears, nor is it something else.)
To: tfecw
Sometimes I think that the big bang was a result of the last black hole in the universe swallowing the very last bit of matter and energy in the universe then burping.
15
posted on
01/06/2005 9:11:09 PM PST
by
ProudVet77
(Beer - it's not just for breakfast anymore.)
To: tfecw
so if you took all that matter and uncompressed it...dangOr...Bang. A BIG one.
16
posted on
01/06/2005 9:12:01 PM PST
by
No Longer Free State
(If integrity does not reside in the captain of the ship, then it is not on board)
To: tfecw
You just had to put that picture in my head.
Thanks.
Watch for future news bit: Evil Conservative, addicted to the VRWC banner website FREE REPUBLIC, has head explode within hours of reading very disturbing article from that source.
Government considering ban of website due to lethal articles.
17
posted on
01/06/2005 9:15:50 PM PST
by
UCANSEE2
(>The government of our country was meant to be a servant of the people, not a master.)
To: holymoly; RadioAstronomer; SunkenCiv
News?
18
posted on
01/06/2005 9:20:00 PM PST
by
ForGod'sSake
(ABCNNBCBS: An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly.)
To: holymoly
19
posted on
01/06/2005 9:27:59 PM PST
by
kb2614
( You have everything to fear, including fear itself. - The new DNC slogan)
To: PatrickHenry
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