121–140 of 266 results
Illustration of black hole merger

Black Holes

Mismatched Black Holes Merge

For the first time, the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors have "heard" gravitational waves from an unequal pair of black holes.

star draws rosette around black hole

Black Holes

Black Hole Changes Star’s Orbit in Gravity Test

A long-awaited measurement indicates that a star whizzing around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole has changed its trajectory.

series of zooms on 3C 279's jet

Black Holes

Event Horizon Telescope Finds Bent Jet Near Black Hole

Observations from the worldwide network of radio telescopes show the fire hose of plasma shooting from a distant galaxy does something strange near its source.

Black Holes

Scientists Predict Countless Rings of Light Encircle Black Holes

Detailed calculations reveal a surprise about how black holes bend light around themselves, opening a new possibility for future observations.

Dwarf Galaxy

Black Holes

More Big Black Holes Found in Small Galaxies

In the quest to discover how massive black holes form, astronomers have spotted several of these objects in some of the smallest galaxies yet found to host them.

Supermassive Black hole

Black Holes

The Appearance of a Black Hole’s Shadow

In April of this year, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first detailed images of the shadow of a black hole. In a new study, a team of scientists has now explored what determines the size and shape of black hole shadows like this one.

Star orbiting black hole

Black Holes

Heavyweight Black Hole Find Mystifies Astronomers

Observations of a star have found it orbiting an unexpectedly massive black hole. If the discovery pans out, it would change our understanding of how massive stars die.

NGC 6240 and its three black holes

Black Holes

Three Black Holes May Merge in Nearby Galaxy

New observations of a galactic crash site show that there are not just two but three supermassive black holes on the verge of union. Two of them are only 650 light-years apart, the closest pair known.

Black Holes

Bubbles, Heated Clouds Point to Active Past for Galactic Center

Two studies support the suspicion that our galaxy’s black hole had one or more outbursts a few million years ago.

Illustration of black hole merger

Black Holes

More Black Hole Mergers Found in LIGO Data

Analysis by an independent team has ferreted out seven candidates for gravitational-wave events from merging black holes.

tidal disruption event

Black Holes

Exoplanet Hunter Sees a Black Hole-Shredded Star

NASA's TESS exoplanet-hunting satellite has provided astronomers with a front-row seat as a black hole shreds a close-venturing star.

Black Holes

Video: Black Hole Warps Light

The hypnotizing effect of a black hole on its surroundings appears to dramatic effect in this simulation.

Illustration of black holes merging

Black Holes

60-Second Astro News: Black Hole Hubbub

The Milky Way's black hole' flares unexpectedly, a distant black hole gets the hiccups, and a reanalysis of LIGO data shows the first detection of black hole "ringdown."

star in gravitational well

Black Holes

Galactic Center Gravity Test Confirmed

A second team of astronomers has now confirmed the light from a star passing near our galaxy’s central black hole behaved as predicted by Einstein’s theory of gravity.

Simulation of neutron star - black hole merger

Black Holes

Gravitational-wave Detectors Come Online, Find Possible Black Hole-Neutron Star Crash

Only a month into a new observing run, gravitational-wave observatories have announced five new signals — one of which could turn out to be a black hole swallowing a neutron star.

Event Horizon Telescope 2017

Black Holes

How Does the Event Horizon Telescope Work?

The Event Horizon Telescope creates the image of a black hole shadow thanks to the precise coordination of a worldwide telescope network. Here’s how they do it.

shadow image of M87

Black Holes

Scientists Unveil First Black Hole Image

The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has reconstructed the shadow of a supermassive black hole.

primordial black hole illo

Black Holes

Could Dark Matter Be Black Holes?

Astronomers are reconsidering primordial black holes as an answer to the invisible matter mystery, but recent observations disfavor at least some sizes of black hole.

Sgr A*

Black Holes

Piercing the Veil of Our Black Hole

Astronomers have overcome the interference of clumpy interstellar gas to catch a glimpse of the gas around the Milky Way’s central black hole.

Quasar (art)

Black Holes

Astronomers Discover Most Distant Lensed Quasar

The most distant magnified quasar known promises to shed light on the universe's early years.