Scientists finally capture the first image of a black hole, the one at the center of galaxy Messier 87
By Sarah Kaplan and Sarah Kaplan Reporter for Speaking of Science Email Bio Follow Joel Achenbach Joel Achenbach Reporter covering science and politics Email Bio April 10 at 9:08 AM Scientists have finally captured the first direct image of a supermassive black hole.
Over the course of a week in April 2017, EHT astronomers on four continents coordinated their efforts to make observations of the supermassive black hole. The two targeted black holes — in the center of the Milky Way and in M87 — are roughly the same apparent size when seen from Earth, because although the M87 black hole is much larger it’s also much farther away.
The foundations for this discovery were laid more than 100 years ago, when Albert Einstein published the equations that defined modern gravitational physics. General relativity, first described in 1915, explained gravity as a phenomenon created when matter warps the geometry of space and time. In turn, curved space and time tells matter how to move.
Even so, both are so distant they would appear to Earthlings as a doughnut on the moon. To them in any kind of detail, scientists would need a telescope as big as the planet — and of course, no such thing existed. Ozel, who helped coordinate the week of observations from the project’s makeshift command center at MIT, recalled the surge of excitement as hundreds of astronomers around the world prepared for their first night of work.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nadja Regin, 'James Bond' actress, dies at 87Nadja Regin, the Serbian actress who appeared in the Bond films ‘From Russia With Love’ and ‘Goldfinger,’ has died at the age of 87.
Read more »
ASOS sticks to full-year guidance despite 87% profit plungeBritish online fashion retailer ASOS on Wednesday reported an 87 percent drop in first-half pretax profit, hurt by poor trading in the run-up to Christmas and logistical hiccups as it entered the U.S. market.
Read more »
Remarkable photo of black hole released in astrophysics breakthroughThe team's observations of the black hole at the center of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster, lend strong support to the theory of general relativity put forward in 1915 by physicist Albert Einstein to explain the laws of gravity and their relation to other natural forces
Read more »
Russia to free nearly 100 captive whales after outcryImages of 10 orcas and 87 beluga whales, kept in enclosures in a bay near Sea of Japan port of Nakhodka, sparked international condemnation forcing the Kremlin to intervene.
Read more »
Maldives votes in crucial ballot to elect new parliamentPresident Ibrahim Mohammed Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party is seeking at least 44 seats in the 87-member Parliament for a majority to pass legislation needed to implement pledges from last year's presidential campaign.
Read more »
Strong winds to bring slightly cooler temperatures after a touch of summer-like heatSanta Barbara set a new daily high temperature of 87 degrees Monday, breaking the record of 83 degrees set last year. High winds are blowing into Southern California on Tuesday and will cool things off a tad.
Read more »
Former Maldives president makes comeback with landslide winEx-president Mohamed Nasheed, 51, was set for a dramatic return to the top of the national parliament, with his Maldivian Democratic Party headed for a two-thirds majority in the 87-member assembly.
Read more »
First black hole image: How and when to watch Event Horizon Telescope announcement live onlineIn 2017 scientists created an Earth-sized virtual telescope and used it to take a 'picture' of a black hole.
Read more »
'We have seen the unseeable': This is the first ever image of a black holeEvent Horizon Telescope project scientists unveiled the image at press conferences taking place across the globe.
Read more »