Black holes

[Homicidalheathen]

At the heart of every galaxy lurks a black hole, astronomers believe

TORONTO - Supermassive black holes, once known only in theory, may be sucking in gas and stellar matter at a voracious rate in the center of virtually every large galaxy in the universe.

That's the conclusion of astronomers who say new observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have detected the "celestial fingerprint" of three black holes, including one that is a half-billion times more massive than the sun. A survey of 15 other galaxies suggests that 14 of them also have black holes.

The discoveries are the strongest observational evidence yet for black holes, an exotic and elusive object first predicted by Albert Einstein in his theory of general relativity.

"The mystery hasn't been solved yet, but we are convinced we have found the body," said Scott D. Tremane of the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and a member of a team of black-hole hunters.

"Einstein's relativity theory is correct," said one astronomy slide. "Cosmic vacuum cleaners are real."

The black-hole studies were presented Monday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

Perhaps the most violent and powerful points of energy in the universe, black holes form when matter gathers at a single place, often from a collapsing, massive star. This point, drawing in more and more matter, becomes so dense that nothing can escape, not even light. It becomes black and unseen. Anything caught up in its center is removed forever from the rest of the universe.

"Black holes," said Ralph Narayan of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, "are the ultimate victory of gravity."

To find evidence of the galactic black holes, the astronomers analyzed the motion of stars and superheated gas near the center of galaxy clusters 50 million light years from Earth. The extreme velocity of the stars showed they were being towed by a powerful gravity force. Gas, accelerated at near light speed, is heated to a trillion degrees.

From these observations, the astronomers could calculate the mass of the object sucking in its neighbors. One black hole, in the constellation Virgo, was estimated at 500 million times more massive than the sun. Another was 100 million times the sun and the third was 50 million.

"There is something there, it weighs a lot, it is completely dark and we can't think of anything else it could be," said Tremane.

The force of a black hole's gravity is so great that whole stars nearby are pulled into a spiral motion. Gas whirls about the center at such speeds that it sears to temperatures unknown anywhere else and bursts bright with energy. A black hole cannot be seen, but its effects on nearby stars and gas clouds are highly visible.

An international team of astronomers that conducted the black-hole search said the findings suggest these results:

Supermassive black holes are common, dwelling in the center of nearly every large galaxy, including the Milky Way.

The mass of a black hole is proportional to the host galaxy. The larger the galaxy, the more massive the black hole.

Doug Richstone of the University of Michigan, leader of the team, said the galactic black holes may be "fossil quasars," or the remnants of a special type of star that collapsed after 100 million years or so.

Quasars, now rare, once were the most luminous and energetic objects in the heavens. Those that have been studied are the most distant and oldest objects in the universe, said Tremane.

Though the black holes are voracious in their gravitational appetite, Tremane said, they will never swallow whole galaxies that have millions of stars.

"It is a very inefficient cosmic vacuum cleaner," he said. The throat of the black hole is so small and galaxies so huge, that only about 1 percent of the galactic matter will ever be consumed, said Tremane

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So we have the big bang and life, and love and light and creation and expansion and all for what? So we and everything and everyone can eventually be sucked back into a tiny black speck of nothing.

Satan wins.

[savageminstrel]

Part of the prediction of the Mayan calendar for the date of Dec. 21. 2012 involves the alignment of our sun and solar system with the center of our galaxy. Which astronomers tell us is actually going to happen. I didnt put much stock in the mayan predictions until I heard about the alignment. We as a culture knew nothing about the spiral galaxy that we were part of until well into the 20th century, yet the mayans knew 1000 yrs ago that not only are we in a galaxy, but an alignment with its center was predicted with uncanny accuracy. An alignment which only happens every 32,000 years or so. Fascinating stuff for me.

[Homicidalheathen]

I too have been delving into Mayan and Aztec beliefs lately, more because of heritage...but I do think I was Aztec in a past life...and was with a friend I have now.

Don't know about everything coming to an end in 2012 thats when the calendar ends but that doesn't mean its the end of EVERYTHING

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Yukteswar_Giri

Swami Sri Yukteswar (of SRF fame) was the best cosmologist-philosopher I think...read his stuff...its better than anything Micheal Nostradamus predicted...

[Destroit]

So we have the big bang and life, and love and light and creation and expansion and all for what? So we and everything and everyone can eventually be sucked back into a tiny black speck of nothing.

Satan wins.

Actually...the article you posted says the opposite:

"It is a very inefficient cosmic vacuum cleaner," he said. The throat of the black hole is so small and galaxies so huge, that only about 1 percent of the galactic matter will ever be consumed, said Tremane

[Head Wreck]

nore concerned about CERN accidentally producing a "micro black hole", strangelet or magnetic monopole tbh.

don't forget early Indian culture also figured about how our solar system ticked, and about the universe and to my knowledge there's no big doom marker on 2012.

daft thunks.

are there any theories on how strange matter would react in a "black hole"

[Guest Megalicious]

nore concerned about CERN accidentally producing a "micro black hole", strangelet or magnetic monopole tbh.

Ahh, Atom smashing and fusion is a lovely thing.

Though, lately I have been a little obsessed with anti-matter, and the fact that matter is converted to straight energy.

And adding to Cher's earlier post, of the small black hole. We also have no idea where that hole goes. It could transport what ever is sucked into it to a beautiful tropical planet LOL for all we know. =)

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Black Holes don't "go" anywhere. They are not holes. They are balls of condensed matter and energy. We see a "hole" because anything past the Event Horizen is invisible, as not even light escapes a black hole... except for the Hawking's Radiation.. if that theroy turns out to be correct. The hole should be replaced with the word Well. It's more accurate.

[ttogreh]

It might be more accurate, but it just doesn't sound as ccol. Besides, "quantum singularity", that sounds better still.

[Guest Megalicious]

Black Holes don't "go" anywhere. They are not holes. They are balls of condensed matter and energy. We see a "hole" because anything past the Event Horizen is invisible, as not even light escapes a black hole... except for the Hawking's Radiation.. if that theroy turns out to be correct. The hole should be replaced with the word Well. It's more accurate.

That really depends on WHO'S theory you are debating with.

Taking the Einstien-Rosen bridge theory to a "hole" (LOL yes I know it's actually whole) new level. Take in mind the theory that quasars are believed to be powered by accretion of material into black holes in the nuclei of distant galaxies, making these luminous versions of the general class of objects known as active galaxies.

The Theory in which it is to believed that the Quasars is a huge drain like salad shooter of matter for everything a black hole might and does consume.

Of course it would be on a micro level,shurnk, without harm, to a universe on our atomic level. Because the atomic level is relative. A micro-universe if you will.

It all depends on what YOU are willing to believe and what your not. People often forget that in Science there are no absolutes.

Take basic Atomic Theory and The Photoelectric effect, The battle of Hugyens and Newton. Why was it that light was to believe to have the nature of particles? BECAUSE of the simple fact that Newton was a MORE WELL know scientist. Do to the fact of popularity, someone was over looked. SOMEONE who was right I might add. (well half right anyway as I'm sure you know the nature of light has both qualities).

Science is a beautiful thing.

[phee]

I could talk for hours and hours and weeks about black holes.... they are one of my favorite subjects..... but if I get started..... I won't stop and I would become annoying

[Guest Megalicious]

I could talk for hours and hours and weeks about black holes.... they are one of my favorite subjects..... but if I get started..... I won't stop and I would become annoying

I promise I won't get annoyed. I love learning new things!!! Share!

[phee]

I promise I won't get annoyed. I love learning new things!!! Share!

If you were to watch an object falling into the event horizon from above (in other words it is falling away from you) it would appear to accelerate faster and faster until it disappears.... but if you were to watch an object fall from beside the event horizon.... as the object approaches light speed due to the gravity it would appear to FREEZE in time.

[Guest Megalicious]

WHY PHEE!!?? Note to Phee: When you tell me a fact, I want to know how and why it works !!! I still love you.

( I have some idea )

[phee]

WHY PHEE!!?? Note to Phee: When you tell me a fact, I want to know how and why it works !!! I still love you.

( I have some idea )

As an object approaches the speed of light, because of relativity it time slows for that object, the laws of time change for it the faster it moves.... But when the object is moving away from you it moves at a constant (think of lightspeed as sort of a universal speed limit), but when you are looking at it from the side, and it is not moving away from you.... you would see the time laws change for that object....

Wish for me to elaborate?

[Reaper]

Yeah science kicks ass. I used to try to watch Nova on PBS whenever I could. Love watching anything about space, esp black holes and the thoughts on where other life could occur. Beam me up Scotteh!

[Guest Megalicious]

...

Wish for me to elaborate?

By all means Phee!

Reaper I have really enjoyed " The Universe" series on the history channel. If you like the NOVA I'm sure you might enjoy these.

The Universe.

[Homicidalheathen]

I know a Satanist (demonologist extrodinaire lols) who visits the site once in a while...

.........annonymously...

I knew he would see that.

........he claims...the black hole leads to the 'other side' and is our souls future. we all, turn into stars...black hole and go meet satan.

Isn't that a lovely thought?

I wonder how the animal sacrafice went last night lols

Ahh, Atom smashing and fusion is a lovely thing.

Though, lately I have been a little obsessed with anti-matter, and the fact that matter is converted to straight energy.

And adding to Cher's earlier post, of the small black hole. We also have no idea where that hole goes. It could transport what ever is sucked into it to a beautiful tropical planet LOL for all we know. =)

[phee]

*cracks knuckles*

Okeeday.....

Picture a box car moving at a high speed from left to right (lightspeed like if you will). There is a person standing inside the boxcar, and a person outside watching the boxcar. In side the boxcar there is a laser gun, that can fire out a small "slug" of light, and at the top of the inside of the boxcar a target.

The box car is zooming by.... and the gun fires.... the person inside observing the laser, it seems to move in a straight line, at light speed to the target. But to the person outside, it takes much longer because the laser started at one point (down and to the right) and because of the movement of the box car, ended way to the right and at the top of the box car.... and lightspeed is a speed limit.... so the laser he observed, although the same laser is being observed, took much longer to reach the target.....

In other words.... time for the person in the boxcar moving at near lightspeed moves slower then the person standing still....

[Guest Megalicious]

........he claims...the black hole leads to the 'other side' and is our souls future. we all, turn into stars...black hole and go meet satan.

For all we know it could LOL. Or we could meet the flying spaghetti monster! (joke)

Its all theory, that is the greatness of science. The possiblities are truly endless.

[Guest Megalicious]

Your diagram rules Phee.

[sass_in_the_pants]

*cracks knuckles*

Okeeday.....

Picture a box car moving at a high speed from left to right (lightspeed like if you will). There is a person standing inside the boxcar, and a person outside watching the boxcar. In side the boxcar there is a laser gun, that can fire out a small "slug" of light, and at the top of the inside of the boxcar a target.

The box car is zooming by.... and the gun fires.... the person inside observing the laser, it seems to move in a straight line, at light speed to the target. But to the person outside, it takes much longer because the laser started at one point (down and to the right) and because of the movement of the box car, ended way to the right and at the top of the box car.... and lightspeed is a speed limit.... so the laser he observed, although the same laser is being observed, took much longer to reach the target.....

In other words.... time for the person in the boxcar moving at near lightspeed moves slower then the person standing still....

Who's the guy in your diagrams? He's cute! Is he single. I'm really fond of that no-eyed look. It's super sexy.

[phee]

Your diagram rules Phee.

The things I do at work with the workstation.... so artistic.... *slits wrists*

[phee]

Who's the guy in your diagrams? He's cute! Is he single. I'm really fond of that no-eyed look. It's super sexy.

Thats my dad

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Time's malleability with "speed" can and has been demonstrated with atomic clocks and super sonic air craft. That aspect is a Law and is no longer a theory.

I watched it on PBS one night... or Discovery... well, TV anyway. It was rather cool.

They took 2 Atomic clocks. One is punt ont he ground. The other in the cock pit of a very very fast plane. The plane takes off, climbs to cruising height and then goes to maximum cruising speed for as long as it can. In extended tests, it slows down to refuel twice or more.

After the plane lands, the two clocks show two different times.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Oh Phee... you forgot soemthing... as something approaches the speed of light it also gains mass at an exponential rate. So, at the speed of light it's not only going at infinite speed... it's also standing still at infinite mass.