Messier 4 News

science2 years ago•2 min saved

The Secret Behind NASA's Dazzling Photo

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured evidence of a rare "intermediate mass" black hole at the center of the star cluster Messier 4, some 6,000 light-years away from Earth. The black hole is estimated to be 800 times the mass of the sun and is too small to be anything other than a singular black hole. The discovery was made by observing the movements of stars around the cluster's core over a 12-year period. However, there is still a chance that other forces might be at play, and Hubble will continue to observe the cluster.

via Mashable|

#black-hole #hubble-space-telescope #messier-4

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

Rare black hole possibly orbiting our galaxy detected by Hubble telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope may have discovered an intermediate-mass black hole candidate located at the core of the nearby star cluster Messier 4, roughly 6,000 light-years away. The black hole candidate is an ultradense region of space packed with the mass of 800 suns, causing nearby stars to orbit it. Intermediate-mass black holes are the most elusive black holes in the universe, and no intermediate-mass black holes have been definitively confirmed to exist. Further observations are needed to confirm the discovery.

via Livescience.com|

#astronomy #astrophysics #black-hole

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Possible Detection of Rare Intermediate-Mass Black Hole in Our Galaxy

The Hubble Space Telescope may have discovered an intermediate-mass black hole candidate located at the core of the nearby star cluster Messier 4, roughly 6,000 light-years away. The black hole candidate is an ultradense region of space packed with the mass of 800 suns, causing nearby stars to orbit it. Intermediate-mass black holes are the most elusive black holes in the universe, and no intermediate-mass black holes have been definitively confirmed to exist. Further observations are needed to confirm the discovery.

via Yahoo Life|

#astrophysics #black-holes #hubble-telescope

astronomy2 years ago•4 min saved

Rare 'Missing Link' Black Hole Possibly Found in Our Celestial Backyard

Astronomers have detected a possible intermediate-mass black hole in Messier 4, a globular cluster located 6,000 light-years away from Earth. The black hole is estimated to be around 800 times the mass of the Sun, falling into a mass range that is rarely seen. The discovery could help solve the mystery of the dearth of intermediate-mass black holes, which would provide clues about the formation of supermassive black holes. Further observations using space telescopes are needed to confirm the existence of the black hole.

via ScienceAlert|

#astronomy #black-holes #globular-cluster

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

Rare Black Hole Discovered Near Earth by Hubble Space Telescope

Astronomers have discovered a tiny region with the mass of 800 suns that is creating chaos among nearby stars, which could indicate the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole just 6,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. The discovery could add to the growing evidence that the universe is friendly toward such cosmic middleweights, only a handful of which have been found so far. The team used data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the European Space Agency's star-mapping Gaia spacecraft to study the chaotic motion of stars at the center of a nearby star cluster called Messier 4.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #astrophysics #black-hole