SUNSET: 
From Starving Black Holes to Warped Galaxies
Hot topics from the American Astronomical Society summer meeting range from colliding galaxies, to warped galaxies, to starving black holes.
Is the “Unicorn” the Closest Black Hole?
Astronomers again think they have found the black hole nearest to us, just 1,500 light-years away, but the find still needs to be confirmed.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Astronomers Detect Strong Magnetic Fields Around M87’s Black Hole
Event Horizon Telescope data support the idea that magnetic fields control how black holes feed and grow.
Planet-eating White Dwarfs, A Black Hole Cluster & The "Farfarout" Object
This week in astronomy news, astronomers found planet-eating white dwarfs, a cluster of black holes, and a "farfarout" object that's now the most distant known in the solar system.
Astronomy News: Galactic One-Two Punch, Black Hole Heartbeat Falters
In the news this week: Globular clusters have the detailed scoop on our galaxy's past, and a "heartbeat" black hole binary in the Milky Way has gone mysteriously dim.
Black Hole Feasts on Star, Bite by Bite
Like a cosmic blinker, a distant supermassive black hole is flaring every 114 days. Astronomers believe the eerily regular signal betrays the piecemeal devouring of a star.
Survey Finds Newborn Black Hole Jets in Distant Galaxies
Astronomers have spotted a surprising number of quasars with jets launched within a couple of decades.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Black Hole Scientists Win 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
This year’s award goes to three researchers who played key roles in developing the theoretical and observational evidence for black holes.
Black Holes Grow by Gas, Not Mergers, Most of Their Lives
Calculations suggest how black holes have amassed mass and predict what the black holes’ spins should be if this picture is correct.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Closest Black Hole to Earth? Maybe
An international team of astronomers says that they’ve discovered the closest black hole to Earth — an invisible object dancing with two large, bright stars 1,000 light-years away.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
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.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
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.
Video: Black Hole Warps Light
The hypnotizing effect of a black hole on its surroundings appears to dramatic effect in this simulation.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
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.
Scientists Unveil First Black Hole Image
The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has reconstructed the shadow of a supermassive black hole.
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.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
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.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Science Fiction Wormholes Don’t Exist
Hoping for faster-than-light travel? Wormholes aren't the paths you're looking for.
Big Scope Breakout: New Supernovae, Novae, Bright Spot on Saturn
The sky's been bursting with exploding stars this season. Plus there's a new storm on Saturn. What's a skywatcher to do? Haul out the scope!
First Black Holes Maybe Had Supersonic Help
Gas flows in the early universe may have kept clouds from collapsing too soon, enabling them to grow into massive black hole seeds.