The first image of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy reveals enormous magnetic field spikes emanating from the gigantic “monster.”
The image of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy shows the influence of the gravitational forces surrounding it (Image: Space).
Finding black holes was once considered extremely difficult, as there is almost no light escaping from beyond the “event horizon.” However, we can now observe these “monsters” with astonishing detail thanks to advancements in science.
Accordingly, the black hole located at the center of the M87 galaxy, which is 55 million light-years from Earth, has been the subject of observation by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) for many years.
The first image of the black hole was published in 2019, showing a yellow ring of material swirling around the outer edge of the black hole, also known as the event horizon.
To date, the research team led by astrophysicist Avery Broderick from the University of Waterloo (Canada) continues to utilize an imaging algorithm integrated into the EHT to isolate and extract a clearer image of the aforementioned phenomenon.
As a result, they discovered traces of an unidentified jet being expelled backward by the black hole. This force is formed from the material surrounding the black hole, which gradually accumulates and is directed to the surface to serve as “reserve food” for it. “This gigantic black hole is a ‘glutton,'” Avery Broderick explained upon observing that the black hole at the center of M87 frequently emits magnetic forces.
The supermassive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy in polarized light. (Image: EHT Collaboration).
This image is in stark contrast to the black hole found at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A (Sgr A), which consumes material at such a low rate that scientists compare it to humans “eating one grain of rice every million years.”
The refreshed image also marks a significant contribution from the Event Horizon Telescope in locating and exploring black holes in the universe. According to researchers, this discovery could have major implications, providing insights into the fundamental signs of what forms and develops around a black hole.
Previously, in 2021, the EHT also released an additional image showing the black hole appearing in polarized light. This was the first time polarization—a sign of magnetic fields—was observed around a black hole.
