CANADA: 42 million light years away, 20 million times the mass of the Sun, and coming back to life. A team of radio astronomers, led by Dr Megan Argo of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, are watching a previously dormant black hole wake up in a dramatic display as material falls on to it for the first time for perhaps millions of years. Dr Argo reported their work today (9 July) at the National Astronomy Meeting at Venue Cymru, in Llandudno, Wales.
Almost every galaxy, including our own, appears to have a black hole at its core. Most of the time these are quiet, with just their invisible gravitational pull shaping their surroundings. But in about 10% of galaxies the central black hole is much more active, swallowing material and spitting out giant jets. For the first time, the new study shows convincing evidence of the onset, the ‘switching on’ of this active phase, in a black hole at the centre of the galaxy NGC 660, 42 million light years away in the constellation of Pisces.
NGC 660 is a stunning example of a polar ring system galaxy. Like most galaxies, it has a thick disk of stars and gas. But NGC 660 also hosts a larger and much less dense ring of stars and smaller star-forming clouds, in orbit over its poles. This additional ring is thought to be the remnants of a past encounter with another galaxy that disrupted both systems.
Tesla driverless system to use updated radar technology
WASHINGTON: Electric carmaker Tesla announced Sunday it was upgrading its Autopilot software to use more advanced radar technology. In a...
