Astronomers have announced the discovery of several large stars located near a black hole at the center of the galaxy. These stars are 30 to 50 times the size of our sun and are over 100,000 times brighter.
With the assistance of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, two scientists, Sergei Nayakshin from the University of Leicester and Rashid Sunyaev from the Max Planck Institute for Physics, made this surprising discovery.
The most astonishing aspect for the scientists is that these stars are only one light-year away from the black hole. Previously, scientists believed that black holes, with their immense gravitational pull, would absorb all surrounding matter, including light.
NASA stated, “This result suggests that massive gas disks orbiting black holes at a certain safe distance could potentially lead to the formation of new stars.”
Mr. Nayakshin noted that while black holes are infamous for their destructive power, this case is an exception, as it contributes to star formation. The newly discovered stars orbit the black hole in a manner similar to how planets orbit the sun.
END (According to AFP)