A group of researchers announced the finding of the first ‘dormant’ stellar-mass black hole on Monday, July 18. The object was found orbiting a star in a nearby galaxy. According to astronomers, the Large Magellanic Cloud’s black hole is the first confirmed one discovered outside of the Milky Way.
The multinational debunking team has, in the words of University of Amsterdam astrophysicist Tomer Shenar, ‘discovered a needle in a haystack.’
‘We detected a pretty huge star, that weighs 25 times the mass of our Sun, that is revolving around something that we do not see,’ said Shenar, the study’s principal author, to news agency AFP.
Shenar added: ‘We’ve never really detected such systems before. There have been a few claims in the last years, but they have all more or less been refuted.’
In fact, according to the study, the crew was scanning the skies for potential binary black holes, which are formed when two black holes orbit one another after devouring their star in a supernova explosion.
According to researchers, the Milky Way’s neighbour galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, and a black hole that is nine times as massive as our Sun are engaged in a death dance in the blue star.
These forms of black holes are typically found using X-ray radiation. But because it does not release X-rays, this binary system is known as inactive.
Why is this discovery important?
It is known that supermassive black holes are widespread throughout the cosmos, but their location has proven challenging. The finding might possibly shed light on the formation of black holes.
According to the experts, a number of potential candidates have been disqualified in previous years.
The finding might possibly shed light on the formation of black holes.
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