Black Holes
Black holes may explain 60-year cosmic rays mystery
Reported by AI
Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology propose that winds from supermassive black holes could accelerate ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, solving a puzzle dating back to 1962. These particles, mostly atomic nuclei, reach energies up to 10^20 electron volts. The hypothesis suggests these winds, moving at half the speed of light, fling particles across the cosmos.
JWST identifies candidates for dark matter-powered first stars
Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that the universe's earliest stars may have been supermassive dark stars powered by dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion. A new study identifies four distant objects matching this description, potentially explaining bright early galaxies and supermassive black holes. These findings build on theories proposed over a decade ago.
Rogue black hole produces fastest radio signals outside galaxy center
Astronomers have observed a black hole tearing apart a star far from its galaxy's center, producing the fastest-changing radio signals ever recorded from such an event. Named AT 2024tvd, this tidal disruption event reveals supermassive black holes can exist and remain active in unexpected locations. The discovery, led by an international team, suggests complex, delayed energy releases from black holes.
Virtual telescope uncovers jet in galaxy OJ 287
An international team of astronomers has captured the most detailed image yet of the core of the distant galaxy OJ 287, revealing a sharply curved plasma jet. The observation, made using a virtual telescope spanning multiple Earth diameters, supports the presence of two merging supermassive black holes at its heart. This breakthrough provides new insights into the extreme energies and structures around such cosmic phenomena.