2023-11-21 12:00:05
The universe is full of surprising phenomena, and among them, black holes occupy a special place. At the heart of our galaxy, the Milky Way, lies a supermassive black hole named Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Recently, researchers discovered that this cosmic giant rotates at a dizzying speed, close to the theoretical limit of rotation.
An image of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way (The Milky Way (also called “our galaxy”, or sometimes…).
Credit: EHT Collaboration
Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, physicists measured the rotation speed of Sgr A*. They used X-rays and radio waves emitted by the materials expelled by the black hole (The Black Hole ) is a science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson,…) for their calculations. The rotation speed of black holes is measured on a scale of 0 to 1, with 1 representing the maximum speed. For Sgr A*, this speed is estimated between 0.84 and 0.96, a value close to the theoretical maximum.
The rotation of a black hole is not a simple cosmic curiosity. It affects the very structure of surrounding space-time, pulling everything nearby into a swirling motion, a phenomenon known as of “Lense-Thirring effect”. The rotation of a black hole is defined by its angular momentum, an intrinsic property of these objects.
What we observe around black holes, such as the gravitational lensing effect, is a direct consequence of this rotation. Light itself, passing near a black hole, is deflected, creating strange visual effects, such as rings of light and black shadows.
The rapid rotation of Sgr A* is partly explained by the way black holes absorb matter. Sgr A*, with a mass (The term mass is used to designate two quantities attached to a…) equivalent to approximately 4.5 million suns (Soleils is a humanitarian association located on the Supélec campus… ), has an impressive rotation speed. In comparison, the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy M87, although more massive, like :), runs at a slightly lower speed.
Understanding these high rotational speeds helps us better understand the formation of black holes and the astrophysical processes that surround them, expanding our knowledge of the Universe (The Universe is the collection of everything that exists and the laws that govern it.) in which we live.
1700627951
#black #hole #center #galaxy #spinning #dizzying #speed #close #theoretical #limit