This is, hopefully, one of many astronomy articles. Each one will cover a recent event and ask a question (answer the question correctly and get a prize). Please enjoy…
A big gas bubble was produced by a small black hole. The fiery gas bubble was 1,000 light years across. The gas expanded due to powerful particle ‘jets’ released by the black hole. The observation was made in Chile by a very big telescope and by NASA’s Chandra space observatory. When a black hole swallows matter they are known to let of high amounts of energy, thus heating the gas ball.
Astronomers say that these particle jets where the biggest they had ever seen. Roberto Soria from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London said that “If the black hole were shrunk to the size of a soccer ball, each jet would extend from the Earth to beyond the orbit of Pluto”. They are surprised because the size of the black hole was small compared to others yet it produced these huge jets and a hot gas ball.
If any readers want to locate it, it is in the spiral galaxy NGC 7793. And finally, for the question. Are there any pictures of black holes? Thanks for reading. Check again for more articles and news!
The comment about the jets of a black hole the size of a golf ball producing jets as far as Pluto from Earth really puts it into perspective - it's just so hard to imagine it that big!!
ReplyDeleteIf you could see me, I'm bouncing up and down, with my hand in the air, dying to answer the question.
ReplyDeleteCome on, readers...you have to participate to win! :-)