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Related: About this forum'Runaway' black hole the size of 20 million suns found speeding through space with a trail of newbor
'Runaway' black hole the size of 20 million suns found speeding through space with a trail of newborn stars behind it
By Robert Lea published about 20 hours ago
Astronomers have discovered a "runaway" black hole, potentially the first observational evidence that supermassive black holes can be ejected from their host galaxies.
An illustration showing a black hole being ejected from a galaxy's center, as a trail of brightly glowing gas follows behind (Image credit: Keio University)
Astronomers have spotted a runaway supermassive black hole, seemingly ejected from its home galaxy and racing through space with a chain of stars trailing in its wake.
According to the team's research, which was published on the pre-print server arXiv.org(opens in new tab) and has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the discovery offers the first observational evidence that supermassive black holes can be ejected from their home galaxies to roam interstellar space.
The researchers discovered the runaway black hole as a bright streak of light while they were using the Hubble Space Telescope to observe the dwarf galaxy RCP 28, located about 7.5 billion light-years from Earth.
According to the team's research, which was published on the pre-print server arXiv.org(opens in new tab) and has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the discovery offers the first observational evidence that supermassive black holes can be ejected from their home galaxies to roam interstellar space.
More:
https://www.livescience.com/runaway-black-hole-the-size-of-20-million-suns-found-speeding-through-space-with-a-trail-of-newborn-stars-behind-it

calimary
(85,855 posts)Ferrets are Cool
(22,122 posts)
localroger
(3,748 posts)Two would probably form a stable orbit and eventually spiral into one another, but three body dynamics are unstable and a hyperbolic ejection like this would almost be inevitable.
Ferrets are Cool
(22,122 posts)
erronis
(18,994 posts)I think I've read that their are lots of these things wandering through the universe.
I'm glad I live in the time-scale I do (50-100 years of life) because I wouldn't want to be part of one of these types of events.
LastDemocratInSC
(4,001 posts)Sneederbunk
(16,042 posts)You got me with the 20 million suns. That's huge. That's really big.
Frasier Balzov
(4,307 posts)Or literally the diameter of its event horizon?
niyad
(123,229 posts)dweller
(26,390 posts)its headed straight for us
isnt it ?
✌🏻
Response to dweller (Reply #5)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
sanatanadharma
(4,074 posts)Universe busting galaxies simply demonstrate the limitations of human thinking.
The causally unnecessary epiphenomena of finite 'consciousness' seeks to 'know' the total.
A worthy, but infinite pursuit of knowing the finite.
NoMoreRepugs
(11,199 posts)Damn we are insignificant.
Jerry2144
(2,774 posts)Im not insignificant.
Wednesdays
(20,478 posts)for it to be ejected from its home galaxy.
lastlib
(25,723 posts)Actually, with other big black holes--they threw it out when it got going too fast around them. (Something like that.....)
KS Toronado
(21,014 posts)
Turbineguy
(38,958 posts)Cleansing by fire and a rebirth as decent people
WestMichRad
(2,237 posts)I wonder if this phenomenon is responsible for some of the odd shapes of nebulae and galaxies?
LastDemocratInSC
(4,001 posts)are the results of galaxies merging, or having "near misses" with each other. Our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy are destined for a merger in about 4 billion years.
Easterncedar
(4,245 posts)The exciting strangeness and drama beyond us puts our troubles in a different perspective for me. It helps, Judi Lynn, thank you!
TygrBright
(21,104 posts)MontanaMama
(24,372 posts)Set them free! The sooner the better.
lastlib
(25,723 posts)Easy to do--I've had that same thought a few times.
AllaN01Bear
(24,747 posts)patphil
(7,672 posts)Could it be that these black holes give birth to Suns, instead of consuming them?
Judi Lynn
(163,267 posts)Along the way, the giant is creating shock waves and triggering star formation.
FEBRUARY 25, 2023 11:47 IST
BY
AMIT MALEWAR
There is evidence of a rogue Supermassive black hole ripping through space and interacting with the circumgalactic medium, according to researchers from Canada, Australia, and the United States (CGM.) The giant is also causing shock waves and starting star formation.
Identifying runway SMBHs is of obvious interest but difficult. There are several ways for a supermassive black hole (SMBH) to escape from the center of a galaxy. The first step is always a galaxy merger, forming a binary SMBH. If a third SMBH reaches the galaxys center before the binary merges, a three-body interaction can impart a large velocity to one of the SMBHs leading to its escape from the nucleus.
However, despite their theoretical foundations, it is challenging to locate these rogue SMBHs. In 2021, astronomers discovered one of the top contenders, 230 million light-years distant.
The authors saw unusual movement and speed, indicating a recent disruption. However, they could not determine whether they had witnessed a gravitational wave recoil event, a double black hole system, or an ongoing galaxy merger.
More:
https://www.techexplorist.com/rogue-supermassive-black-hole-tearing-space/57147/
yonder
(10,057 posts)as well as the nod to the Python gang. Cool stuff then a good chuckle.
Silent3
(15,909 posts)...trailing along behind this monster trying to make sense of the universe from that bizarre perspective.
Permanut
(6,965 posts)Great post, thanks!
GreenWave
(11,047 posts)It needs food, glorious food!