Skip to content

Reflections From a Black Hole

Supermassive Black Hole - good band name

Reflections From a Black Hole
Published:

This 2003 composite X-ray (blue and green) and optical (red) image of the active galaxy, NGC 1068, shows gas blowing away in a high-speed wind from the vicinity of a central supermassive black hole.

Regions of intense star formation in the inner spiral arms of the galaxy are highlighted by both optical and X-ray emission.

The elongated shape of the gas cloud is thought to be due to the funneling effect of a torus, or doughnut-shaped cloud, of cool gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.

The torus, which appears as the elongated white spot in the accompanying 3-color X-ray images, has a mass of about 5 million Suns. Radio observations indicate that the torus extends from within a few light years of the black hole out to about 300 light years.

The X-rays observed from the torus are scattered and reflected X-rays that are probably coming from a hidden disk of hot gas formed as matter swirls very near the black hole.

The torus is one source of the gas in the high-speed wind, but the hidden disk may also be involved. X-ray heating of gas further out in the galaxy contributes to the slower, outer parts of the wind.

Anony Moose

Anony Moose

Anony is from the Moose family of the great north, and has a passion for science, exploration, and wetlands.

All articles
Tags: Black Hole

More in Black Hole

See all

More from Anony Moose

See all
Mae Carol Jemison

Mae Carol Jemison

/
Kitty O'Brien Joyner

Kitty O'Brien Joyner

/
STEM in Space

STEM in Space

/
The Crescent Earth
/ Members-only

The Crescent Earth

/