ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Dormant Supermassive black hole arises stronger than ever

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
May 7, 2011
in Science, Space
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

It’s still unclear if it was all about a stellar meal or if it was simply gas, or some other relatively unimportant phenomena that awoken the sleeping giant, but for the first time, astronomers have observed the awakening of a sleeping supermassive black hole.

The sleeping giant

It appeared to be a day just like any other when David Burrows of Penn State University in University Park and his colleagues reported observing the burst, which continued for more than 30 days. They declined any interview, because they submitted the article to Nature and it hasn’t yet been published, so there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding this find.

NASA’s Swift spacecraft first spotted the fireworks, surprising the effect just minutes after it took place and at first thought it was a gamma ray burst, but a gamma ray burst lasts only for a few hours. As time went on and the energetic emissions associated with the March 28 outburst continued, Burrows and his collaborators say they became convinced that a quiescent black hole – in an similar way to what you would expect from the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. It is believed that a turn on such as this can only be the cause of a massive stellar meal, but since there is so little we still understand about it, researchers cannot make any conclusions.

What they do believe, however, is that as the food source went faster and faster towards its center, the black hoel started emitting x-rays stronger and stronger. Even this is not certain however, as alternative theories have been proposed, even though they appear less likely.

How to wake up a black hole

“The paper makes a very convincing case that a massive black hole was indeed activated,” comments theorist Zoltán Haiman of Columbia University. Monitoring the star for several years should reveal the origin of the fuel, he adds. If the black hole swallowed a single star, the jet will dim, but if the object suddenly gained access to a large reservoir of gas, the jet could stay bright for more than a thousand years.

An interesting (but unpleasant to hear about) scenario was theoretized by astronomers: the possibility of the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy to wake up in the same way. In the case of that event, the Earth would experience a jet 40 times stronger than any solar flare ever recorded, and would be heavily ionized, significantly harming life on the face of the planet. However, researchers say there is absolutely no need to be alarmed about this, because the odds are astronomical.

RelatedPosts

Scientists directly image particle jet emitted by supermassive black hole devouring a star
Stars at Milky Way’s heart might be ‘immortal’, drawing energy from dark matter
Astronomers have discovered the most distant radio signal ever
Runaway star ejected from the centre of the Milky Way at incredible speed
Tags: black holegamma ray burstsupermassive black hole

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

black hole
News

Astronomers Claim the Big Bang May Have Taken Place Inside a Black Hole

byJordan Strickler
3 weeks ago
News

Astronomers Just Found the Most Powerful Cosmic Event Since the Big Bang. It’s At Least 25 Times Stronger Than Any Supernova

byTibi Puiu
3 weeks ago
News

Two Lightning Bolts Collided Over a Japanese Tower and Triggered a Microburst of Nuclear-Level Radiation

byTudor Tarita
1 month ago
News

We Could One Day Power a Galactic Civilization with Spinning Black Holes

byTibi Puiu
2 months ago

Recent news

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

June 28, 2025

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking ‘Eureka!’ Moments Like Salvador Dalí

June 28, 2025

The world’s oldest boomerang is even older than we thought, but it’s not Australian

June 27, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.