April 18, 2024

The first pictures from the heart of the Milky Way

The first pictures from the heart of the Milky Way

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) shows a black hole at a distance of 27,000 light-years – in the center of the Milky Way.

The basics in brief

  • The Sagittarius A* black hole is located in the center of the Milky Way.
  • Thanks to the “Event Horizon Telescope” there is now his first image.

First time astronomers Sign Up From the black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. who – which Featured Image Shows the circumference of a supermassive black hole, because the objects themselves are from temper nature of the invisible.

Recording is made possible through observations using the “Event Horizon Telescope” (EHT). It is a consortium of eight radio observatories on four continents.

The collective monster image is only the second image taken of a black hole. Shows a dark central area surrounded by a shiny circular structure.

Previously, books and illustrations were only illustrations of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

The black hole is called Sagittarius A*.

The Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn is heavily involved in the EHT. The researchers presented the results of their observations in a special issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The image of arc A* is consistent with Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. And they say the hatch is probably spinning.

Also involved in the measurements was the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (IRAM), which operates in German-French-Spanish cooperation. Works with 30 meterstelescope in Spain and the NOEMA interferometer in France.

In 2019, EHT researchers provided the first-ever image of a black hole – a glowing ring with a dark center. The black hole was much larger at the center of the distant galaxy M87.

It is 27,000 light years away from Earth

Although the center of the Milky Way, about 27,000 light-years away, is Land Observations proved that it is much closer, difficult. “The radiation from M87’s black hole is constant for hours,” explained Anton Zonsus of MPIfR in Bonn.

On the other hand, the object in the center of the galaxy changes in just a few minutes. So we had to develop completely new methods of evaluation.”

Astronomers believe that there is a black hole at the center of most galaxies. Because of their massive mass, black holes do not allow light to escape, which makes them almost invisible.

However, before being pulled into the black hole, the material heats up intensely and then glows brightly, and this distinctive glow can be seen in the images in a reddish color.

The name “Event Horizon Telescope”telescope – Refers to the event horizon of a black hole. Beyond this limit not even light can escape from a gravity beast. Which is what makes a black hole “black” in the first place.

More on this topic:

nature earth telescope


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