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TexasTowelie

(112,204 posts)
Thu Nov 3, 2016, 06:53 AM Nov 2016

Nearly naked black hole exposed by galactic close encounter


An illustration shows a black hole being stripped of its resident galactic material. Photo by Bill Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Supermassive black holes are usually hidden away at the center of galaxies. But researchers at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have discovered a black hole surrounded by relatively little galactic material. It's nearly naked, they say.

According to a new paper published in the Astrophysical Journal, the black hole's home galaxy was stripped of material by a close encounter with a much larger galaxy.

What's left of the black hole's galactic clothing stretches just 3,000 light-years across. The Milky Way, for comparison, is 100,000 light-years across.

The unmasked black hole is surprising, not just for its limited galactic insulation, but because the black hole is fleeing the close encounter at a speed of 2,000 miles per second -- still intact.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/11/02/Nearly-naked-black-hole-exposed-by-galactic-close-encounter/5651478112607/?spt=mps&or=1
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Nearly naked black hole exposed by galactic close encounter (Original Post) TexasTowelie Nov 2016 OP
Hey--NSFW! Orrex Nov 2016 #1
Yet you played the role of a voyeur and clicked anyway. TexasTowelie Nov 2016 #2
Twice, dammit! Orrex Nov 2016 #3
Says who? TexasTowelie Nov 2016 #4
Beat me to it! Sherman A1 Nov 2016 #5
Fleeing eh? RedCloud Nov 2016 #6
Nearly nekkid? Why is it walking around with no pants? shenmue Nov 2016 #7

RedCloud

(9,230 posts)
6. Fleeing eh?
Thu Nov 3, 2016, 07:29 AM
Nov 2016

I never knew black holes were so guilt ridden!

Admit it black hole, you ate the whole other galaxy.

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