Biggest ever seen black hole jets; blasting plasma well beyond their own galaxy
Astronomers discovered the largest black hole jets, Porphyrion, extending 23 million light-years, suggesting significant influence on early galaxy formation. Over 10,000 similar jets indicate their commonality in the universe.
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Astronomers have discovered the largest pair of black hole jets ever observed, named Porphyrion, which extend approximately 23 million light-years, equivalent to lining up 140 Milky Way galaxies. This discovery, reported in a Nature paper, reveals that these jets originated from a supermassive black hole in a galaxy that existed when the universe was only 6.3 billion years old. The jets are significant not only for their size but also for their potential impact on galaxy formation in the early universe, suggesting that such jets may have influenced the growth of nearby galaxies more than previously thought. The findings were made possible through the LOFAR radio telescope, which has uncovered over 10,000 similar jet structures, indicating that these giant jets are more common than once believed. The research team utilized various observational tools, including the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory, to trace the jets back to a massive galaxy about ten times the mass of the Milky Way. The study also raises questions about the mechanisms that allow these jets to extend so far without destabilizing and the role they play in spreading cosmic rays and magnetism throughout the universe.
- The newly discovered black hole jets, Porphyrion, span 23 million light-years.
- This finding suggests that giant jets may significantly influence galaxy formation in the early universe.
- Over 10,000 similar jet structures have been identified, indicating their prevalence.
- The jets originated from a supermassive black hole in a galaxy 7.5 billion light-years away.
- The study highlights the need for further research on the jets' impact on their surroundings and cosmic magnetism.
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- Many commenters express awe at the size of the jets, comparing them to galaxies and contemplating their implications for life and physics.
- There is curiosity about the nature of the jets, with questions regarding their origin and the processes involved in their formation.
- Some commenters humorously speculate about the possibility of misidentification, such as confusing the jets with satellites.
- Concerns are raised about the clarity of the article's explanation regarding the relationship between black holes and the jets.
- References to science fiction and theoretical concepts, like stellar engines, highlight the imaginative aspects of the discussion.
13 commentsThe article doesn't quite clarify this point. It mentions the jets shooting from below and above the black holes, but does this mean they're emerging from their interior or being created by the accretion of superheated material that forms in orbit around black holes?
The article simple states this, which seems wrong given the immense gravity of black holes:
>When supermassive black holes become active—in other words, when their immense forces of gravity tug on and heat up surrounding material—they are thought to either emit energy in the form of radiation or jets.
So the holes themselves emit energy jets or their accretion disks do? Sloppy damn phrasing and reporting, and all too common for science subjects.
Let’s say you have a black hole. You fire a laser beam straight into it. Just by symmetry, shouldn’t it blueshift on the way in, gain some preposterous amount of energy — enough that it can escape?
Has anyone done a galactic engine?
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