Using the European VLT telescope with an 8.2-meter diameter, scientists have captured an incredibly clear image of the environment surrounding the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy NGC 1097, thanks to the highly adaptive observational component Naco, which allows for sharp observation even amidst turbulent atmospheric conditions.
Astronomer Almuneda Prieto from the Max Planck Institute in Heidelberg stated, “This may be the first time we have a concrete image of the process that pulls material from the body of the galaxy all the way to its core.” With these clear images located about 30 million light-years from Earth, we can observe the streams of gas and dust extending from the inner regions of young stars to the edge of the black hole.
Although the core of NGC 1097 emits very faint light, indicating that the gravitational pull of the central black hole is not very strong, astronomers still believe that these gas streams could engulf a massive entity.
NGC 1097 is an ideal target for scientific research. Located approximately 45 million light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Fornax, it can be observed directly and is relatively bright. Its brightness reaches a magnitude of 9.5, allowing observation with small telescopes by amateur astronomers.
