M87* black hole image passes new test

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M87* black hole image validated with new data, same appearance for M87*. Nearly five years ago, a globe-spanning team of astronomers gave the world its first-ever glimpse of a black hole. Now the team has validated both their original findings and our understanding of black holes with a new image of the supermassive black hole M87*. This supermassive black hole, 6.5 billion times the mass of our sun, resides at the center of the Messier 87 (M87) galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster, located 55 million light-years from Earth.

M87* Black Hole Image: Validating Our Understanding of Black Holes

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Published on: April 10, 2019 Description: The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration observed the supermassive black hole at the center of M87, finding the dark central ...

First Image of a Black Hole!

In 2019, the world was captivated by the first-ever image of a black hole, M87*. This groundbreaking achievement was made possible by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of radio telescopes scattered across the globe. Now, nearly five years later, the EHT team has released a new image of M87*, providing further confirmation of our understanding of black holes.

The Significance of the New M87* Black Hole Image

The new image of M87* is significant for several reasons. First, it confirms the original findings from 2019, demonstrating that the image was not a fluke. Second, it provides additional evidence in support of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which predicts the existence of black holes and their properties. Third, it opens up new avenues for studying black holes and their role in the universe.

What’s New in the New M87* Black Hole Image?

The new image of M87* is largely consistent with the original image. However, there are some subtle differences. For example, the brightest portion of the glowing ring surrounding M87* has shifted about 30 degrees counterclockwise. This movement is likely due to the turbulent flow of matter around the black hole.

How Was the New M87* Black Hole Image Created?

Creating an image of a black hole is a complex and challenging process. The EHT observes radio waves emitted by objects in space and combines the information from multiple telescopes to form a picture. This process is made more difficult by the fact that black holes are invisible to light, so the image is based on the radio waves emitted by the surrounding matter.

The Role of Caltech Researchers in the M87* Black Hole Image

Caltech researchers played a key role in the creation of the new image of M87*. Professor Katherine (Katie) L. Bouman, assistant professor of computing and mathematical sciences, electrical engineering, and astronomy, was a coordinator of the EHT Imaging Working Group and co-led the imaging team. Former Caltech Ph.D. student Nitika Yadlapalli Yurk, Ph.D., and current Caltech postdoctoral research associate in computing and mathematical sciences Aviad Levis also made significant contributions to the project.

Wrapping Up

The new image of M87* is a major scientific achievement that confirms our understanding of black holes and opens up new avenues for studying these mysterious objects. Caltech researchers played a key role in this groundbreaking project, demonstrating the university’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge..

FAQ’s

What is the significance of the new image of M87*?

The new image of M87* is significant because it confirms the original findings from 2019, provides additional evidence in support of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, and opens up new avenues for studying black holes and their role in the universe.

How is the new image different from the original image?

The new image of M87* is largely consistent with the original image, but there are some subtle differences. For example, the brightest portion of the glowing ring surrounding M87* has shifted about 30 degrees counterclockwise.

How was the new image created?

The new image of M87* was created using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of radio telescopes scattered across the globe. The EHT observes radio waves emitted by objects in space and combines the information from multiple telescopes to form a picture.

What role did Caltech researchers play in the project?

Caltech researchers played a key role in the creation of the new image of M87*. Professor Katherine (Katie) L. Bouman was a coordinator of the EHT Imaging Working Group and co-led the imaging team. Former Caltech Ph.D. student Nitika Yadlapalli Yurk, Ph.D., and current Caltech postdoctoral research associate in computing and mathematical sciences Aviad Levis also made significant contributions to the project.

What are the implications of the new image for our understanding of black holes?

The new image of M87* confirms our understanding of black holes and opens up new avenues for studying these mysterious objects. It provides additional evidence in support of Einstein’s theory of general relativity and allows scientists to learn more about the properties of black holes and their role in the universe.

Links to additional Resources:

1. https://eventhorizontelescope.org/ 2. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/news/black-hole-image-validation.html 3. https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2209/.