Posted on Apr 1, 2020
Hungry black hole may be cosmic 'missing link'
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A team of astronomers has found what it says is the best evidence yet for an elusive class of black hole.
They say the presumed "intermediate-mass" black hole betrayed its existence by tearing apart a wayward star that ventured too close.
These medium-sized objects are a long-sought "missing link" in the evolution of the cosmos.
Researchers used two X-ray observatories, along with the Hubble telescope, to identify the object.
"Intermediate-mass black holes are very elusive objects, and so it is critical to carefully consider and rule out alternative explanations for each candidate, said Dr Dacheng Lin, from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, US, who led the study.
They say the presumed "intermediate-mass" black hole betrayed its existence by tearing apart a wayward star that ventured too close.
These medium-sized objects are a long-sought "missing link" in the evolution of the cosmos.
Researchers used two X-ray observatories, along with the Hubble telescope, to identify the object.
"Intermediate-mass black holes are very elusive objects, and so it is critical to carefully consider and rule out alternative explanations for each candidate, said Dr Dacheng Lin, from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, US, who led the study.
Hungry black hole may be cosmic 'missing link'
Posted from bbc.com
Space
Astronomy
Posted >1 y ago
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The supermassive ones at the center of galaxies seem to have "always been there"; stellar mass black holes are formed when a star of a certain mass collapses. But how do you get to a phase in between has puzzled scientists.
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