Astronomers confirm the existence of a lone black hole
Astronomers confirmed the first isolated black hole, about seven times the sun's mass, detected via gravitational lensing. Future discoveries are anticipated with the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
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Astronomers at the Space Telescope Science Institute have confirmed the existence of a lone black hole, marking a significant milestone in astrophysics. This discovery, detailed in a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal, stems from observations of an object initially identified in 2022 as a "dark object" in the constellation Sagittarius. Initially, a competing research team suggested it might be a neutron star, but further analysis by the original team revealed that the object is approximately seven times the mass of the sun, ruling out the neutron star hypothesis. The black hole was detected through gravitational lensing, as it passed in front of a distant star, allowing astronomers to observe its effects on the light from that star. This finding is notable because all previously identified black holes have had companion stars, making this the first confirmed detection of an isolated black hole. The research team utilized data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Gaia space probe, and they anticipate finding more such black holes with the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027.
- A lone black hole has been confirmed, marking a first in astrophysics.
- The black hole is approximately seven times the mass of the sun.
- It was detected through gravitational lensing effects on a distant star.
- Previous assessments suggested it might be a neutron star, but further analysis confirmed it as a black hole.
- Future discoveries of similar black holes are expected with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
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- Many express curiosity about the existence of more isolated black holes in the universe.
- Some find the idea of a solitary black hole unsettling, considering its potential danger.
- There are questions about the implications of such discoveries for our understanding of dark matter.
- Comments reflect surprise at the confirmation of an isolated black hole, given the history of black hole discoveries.
- Some users share links to related articles, indicating interest in further reading.
13 commentsIt seems like we think there's many more of these black holes, but we just can't see them
Earlier article about first discovery: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ac739e/...
... sounds like a cool brand :)
Related
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Astronomers are discovering ultramassive black holes, significantly larger than supermassive ones, with Ton 618 being 66 billion solar masses. The James Webb Space Telescope aids in understanding their formation and origins.
First image of our Milky Way's black hole may be inaccurate, scientists say
An independent analysis questions the accuracy of the first image of Sagittarius A*, suggesting it may contain artifacts. The eastern accretion disk appears brighter, indicating high-speed rotation. Future upgrades are expected.
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Researchers discovered black hole LID-568, feeding at 40 times the Eddington Limit, challenging theories on supermassive black hole growth. Its feeding may have impacted star formation in its dwarf galaxy.
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