Uncovering the Source of Flares in OJ 287 Galaxy.
Astronomers have identified the source of periodic flares observed in the galaxy OJ 287 as two supermassive black holes orbiting each other. The smaller black hole orbits the larger one for about 12 years, plunging through the accretion disk twice and creating intense flares as it interacts with the gas in the disk. Researchers modeled the dynamics of the two orbiting holes and predicted flares that were observed in early 2022. The two black holes are expected to merge in about 10,000 years, emitting energy via gravitational radiation and ending their cosmic dance.