Cosmic Spider: Black Hole Spins Plasma Ropes

Astronomers have observed a distant supermassive black hole, located at the heart of a blazar named 3C 279, spinning a jet of plasma into a twisted rope and ejecting it at near-light speed. This observation, made using a network of radio telescopes including the RadioAstron space telescope, provides the most detailed look yet at the internal structure of an astrophysical jet emerging from a supermassive black hole. The findings challenge current theories on the creation and evolution of these jets, suggesting the need for revised models and a deeper understanding of the role of magnetic fields in their formation.