Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a lone black hole, one with no star orbiting it, located in the constellation Sagittarius. This groundbreaking discovery marks the first time such an object has been detected.
Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a lone black hole, one with no star orbiting it, located in the constellation Sagittarius. This discovery is significant as it marks the first time such an object has been detected.
A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape.
It is formed when a massive star collapses in on itself and its gravity becomes so strong that it warps the fabric of spacetime.
The point of no return around a black hole is called the event horizon.
Once something crosses the event horizon, it is trapped by the black hole's gravity and cannot escape.
Black holes are classified into four types based on their mass: stellar-mass, intermediate-mass, supermassive, and miniature.
The black hole, discovered by Kailash Sahu and his team at the Space Telescope Science Institute, is estimated to be about seven times more massive than the sun, with a mass range of 6.8 to 7.2 solar masses. This estimate was confirmed through new observations from the ‘Hubble Space Telescope‘ , which revealed the black hole’s presence in 2021 and 2022.
The lone black hole was detected when it passed in front of a dim background star, causing the star’s light to be magnified and its position to shift due to the black hole’s gravity. This phenomenon occurred in July 2011 but is still observable today, making it possible for astronomers to study the black hole’s properties.
The detection of a lone black hole in Sagittarius has implications for our understanding of these objects, which are thought to be relatively rare. The discovery also highlights the importance of continued observations and improvements in telescope technology, such as the upcoming ‘Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’ launch in 2027.
Kailash Sahu hopes to find additional lone black holes using the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will enable more precise measurements and further insights into these enigmatic objects.
- sciencenews.org | Yes, there really is a black hole on the loose in Sagittarius
