Astronomers Capture Historic Image of Two Black Holes Orbiting Each Other
For the first time, astronomers have captured a historic image of two black holes orbiting each other in distant space. The breakthrough discovery provides crucial insights into cosmic collisions and gravitational waves that shape our universe.
Key Takeaways
- First-ever image of binary black holes orbiting each other
- Indian scientists from ARIES and TIFR were part of global team
- Discovery reveals “wagging tail” jet behavior from smaller black hole
- Breakthrough published in The Astrophysical Journal
What Are Black Holes?
Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so intense that nothing, not even light, can escape. This occurs when massive amounts of matter are compressed into a tiny area, typically when a star collapses at the end of its life cycle.
“Seeing two black holes in orbit is more than a stunning image. It is a window into the future of our universe. When black holes eventually collide, they release titanic ripples in ‘space-time’ called gravitational waves,” according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The Discovery Team and Methodology
A global team including scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai collaborated with experts from Finland, USA, Japan, Spain, Czech Republic and Poland. They used an extraordinary network of telescopes, including the RadioAstron space telescope orbiting halfway to the Moon.
The OJ287 Quasar System
The team focused on quasar OJ287, a distant galaxy powered by two black holes that orbit each other every 12 years. Astronomers had suspected this cosmic duo existed for decades due to the quasar’s rhythmic flickering patterns dating back to 19th-century photographs.
Breakthrough Imaging
The RadioAstron space telescope combined with ground-based observatories achieved unprecedented resolution, sharper than any Earth-based telescope alone. The resulting image revealed two distinct points of radio emission – confirming both black holes.
Remarkably, the smaller black hole was seen launching a jet of high-energy particles that twists like a “wagging tail” or spinning garden hose as it orbits its massive partner.
Previous Observations Confirmed
In 2021, Indian and American team members had monitored OJ287 with NASA’s TESS satellite, observing a massive brightening event that lasted just 12 hours. This corresponded to the brightness of hundreds of galaxies and faded equally quickly, providing early evidence of the second black hole’s activity.
The final radio image of OJ287 achieved even higher resolution than previous images of black holes in the Milky Way and Messier 87, marking a significant advancement in astronomical imaging capabilities.
