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Scientists witness the apparent birth of a black hole
Washington Post ^ | Tuesday, November 16, 2010; 9:31 AM | Marc Kaufman

Posted on 11/16/2010 10:49:06 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

For the first time, scientists believe they have witnessed the birth of a black hole.

This Story

The evidence began arriving 30 years ago from a star 50 million light-years away that had imploded, setting into motion events that created a region where gravity is so great that nothing can escape, even light.

The initial 1979 observation of the exploding star was made by an amateur astronomer from Western Maryland, but the profession's top scientists have studied it intently with increasingly sophisticated orbiting X-ray telescopes.

In announcing the discovery Monday at NASA headquarters, the researchers said that although the information they have collected is consistent with the birth of a baby black hole, they cannot rule out other possibilities. Nonetheless, they spoke enthusiastically about what they are learning and will learn about the evolution of black holes.

"We've never known before the exact birthday of a black hole, and now we can watch as it grows into a child and teenager," said Kimberly Weaver, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Learning about black holes has been like solving a puzzle, and this will help us get closer to a full understanding."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blackhole; chandra; haltonarp

1 posted on 11/16/2010 10:49:09 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: SunkenCiv; decimon

fyi


2 posted on 11/16/2010 10:49:49 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Does it have a birth certificate?


3 posted on 11/16/2010 10:51:56 PM PST by Right Brother
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To: Right Brother

I don’t know but I can tell you this. It doesn’t have ANY executive experience!


4 posted on 11/16/2010 10:54:08 PM PST by ari-freedom (Islam is at war against America, while America is at the mall.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

What a koinkidink. I witnessed one too....2 years ago and it’s in the White House. Technically it’s a half-black hole.


5 posted on 11/16/2010 11:00:31 PM PST by abigailsmybaby ( I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did. Yogi Berra)
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To: ari-freedom

Well, as long as it doesn’t wander around the universe, apologizing to different galaxies;)


6 posted on 11/16/2010 11:03:41 PM PST by Frank_2001
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
So CERN's Large Hadron Collider gave birth to a cute little black hole!

What a great appetite. Just look how it's growing!

7 posted on 11/16/2010 11:21:49 PM PST by TChad
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Where’s the youtube link, dammit!


8 posted on 11/16/2010 11:28:48 PM PST by dr_who
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Captain, the object is on screen... Spock, what... is... that... thing? An unknown energy field, Captain... A black A-Hole. Scotty! Give me full reverse power! I can't do it, Cap'n! Dilithium crystals exhausted! Something's draining us dry! I've never seen anythin like it before!
9 posted on 11/16/2010 11:39:20 PM PST by TCH (DON'T BE AN "O-HOLE"! ... DEMAND YOUR STATE ENACT ITS SOVEREIGNTY !When a majority of the American)
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To: TCH

Duh-Duh-Da-Duh-Duh-Duh ...Da-Duh! (cut to “Space, the final frontier”...)


10 posted on 11/16/2010 11:52:31 PM PST by dr_who
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

First off, a black hole is a 2-dimensional concept of what is really a 3-dimensional force. A black SPHERE would be more accurate.

Second, the really important part is the part we can’t even see.


11 posted on 11/17/2010 9:50:01 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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