An invisible black hole, more massive than anything we knew so far, has just been identified in a distant galaxy. A discovery that pushes scientists to rethink the sky map.
A simple luminous halo revealed one of the most massive objects ever observed
It is a Subtile light distortion who put the researchers on the track. By studying an elliptical galaxy located in five billion light yearsastronomers have spotted a perfectly circular light ring.
This phenomenon, baptized gravitational lensoccurs when a huge mass deforms space-time around it, modifying the trajectory of light.
But here it is not the Halo that fascinates. This is what he hides. Thanks to the analysis of Movement of nearby starsscientists detected the gravitational signature of a black hole an incredible mass: 36 billion times that of the sun.
Maybe he’s more massive ever identified. And he slept there, silent, completely invisible to classic instruments.
This black hole did not shine, did not move, but distorted its environment
Unlike active black holes, it did not swore, produced neither light nor energy jets. He was dormantliterally. It is only by the Star speed orbiting around of him that the researchers were able to estimate his mass.
An unprecedented approach, made possible by the combination of Optical observation of the lens et Dynamic modeling stellar trajectories.
This case proves an essential thing: it probably exists Many other invisible black holes in the universe. Because if such a colossal monster has been able to escape our telescopes so far, What about others? Can we still trust the figures that we thought definitive? Nothing is less certain.
The existence of this giant calls into question our understanding of the formation of black holes
Such a massive black hole should not exist. At least, not according to current models. Its Theoretical growth speed does not make it possible to reach such a mass within the available cosmic deadlines.
So how could he have been training? Is it the result of successive mergers between several giant black holes ? Did he grow up in a primordial universe still unknown?
These questions remain unanswered, but they are already agitating the scientific community. Because they open the door to a New Cosmos cartographyin which Gigantic black dormant holes Could haunt galaxies without us never seen them.
And if it was only the first in a long series ?
Tell us in the comments what you think and share your theories.