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An international team of 32 scientists from 10 countries, including India, Finland, Poland, China, USA, Czech Republic, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Italy, has directly observed the smaller black hole in a binary system for the first time. The study, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, focused on the galaxy OJ 287, located approximately 4 billion light-years away from Earth.Using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), originally designed for exoplanet detection, astronomers monitored the brightness of the primary black hole and its associated jet. This discovery was corroborated by multiple observatories, including NASA’s Swift telescope and a network of ground-based telescopes.
Researchers from various institutions participated in this study, including Shubham Kishore and Alok C. Gupta from the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences in India, and Paul Wiita from The College of New Jersey, USA. The research built upon previous theories suggesting the existence of two black holes at the center of OJ 287, according to the department of science and technology (DST).
On November 12, 2021, TESS detected a sudden burst of brightness that lasted for 12 hours. This event was predicted by researcher Pauli Pihajoki from the University of Turku in 2014, and it provided the first direct evidence of the smaller black hole’s presence. The flare occurred when the smaller black hole consumed a large portion of the accretion disk surrounding its larger counterpart, resulting in a bright outward jet of gas.
“The flare occurred when the smaller black hole consumed a large portion of the accretion disk surrounding its larger counterpart, resulting in a bright outward jet of gas,” DST stated.
Professor Mauri Valtonen and his team at the University of Turku showed that this burst of light originated from the smaller black hole and its surroundings. During the event, the typically red-colored OJ 287 appeared more yellow, indicating the visibility of the smaller black hole.
“This observation marks a significant milestone in black hole research, comparable to TESS’s exoplanet discoveries. While direct imaging of the black holes remains challenging due to their immense distance, scientists expect that the smaller black hole may soon be detectable through gravitational waves,” DST explained.
The discovery has not only confirmed existing theories about binary black hole systems but also opened new avenues for understanding these cosmic phenomena. As observational techniques continue to advance, astronomers hope to gain even more insights into the nature of black holes and their role in shaping galaxies.
This breakthrough highlights the crucial role of international collaboration and advanced technology in driving astronomical research forward.
Researchers from various institutions participated in this study, including Shubham Kishore and Alok C. Gupta from the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences in India, and Paul Wiita from The College of New Jersey, USA. The research built upon previous theories suggesting the existence of two black holes at the center of OJ 287, according to the department of science and technology (DST).
On November 12, 2021, TESS detected a sudden burst of brightness that lasted for 12 hours. This event was predicted by researcher Pauli Pihajoki from the University of Turku in 2014, and it provided the first direct evidence of the smaller black hole’s presence. The flare occurred when the smaller black hole consumed a large portion of the accretion disk surrounding its larger counterpart, resulting in a bright outward jet of gas.
“The flare occurred when the smaller black hole consumed a large portion of the accretion disk surrounding its larger counterpart, resulting in a bright outward jet of gas,” DST stated.
Professor Mauri Valtonen and his team at the University of Turku showed that this burst of light originated from the smaller black hole and its surroundings. During the event, the typically red-colored OJ 287 appeared more yellow, indicating the visibility of the smaller black hole.
“This observation marks a significant milestone in black hole research, comparable to TESS’s exoplanet discoveries. While direct imaging of the black holes remains challenging due to their immense distance, scientists expect that the smaller black hole may soon be detectable through gravitational waves,” DST explained.
The discovery has not only confirmed existing theories about binary black hole systems but also opened new avenues for understanding these cosmic phenomena. As observational techniques continue to advance, astronomers hope to gain even more insights into the nature of black holes and their role in shaping galaxies.
This breakthrough highlights the crucial role of international collaboration and advanced technology in driving astronomical research forward.
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