Capturing the First image of a Black Hole Event Horizon: A Quick Look

Capturing the First image of a Black Hole Event Horizon: 

A Quick Look

April 10, 2019: The Event Horizon Telescope, a network of radio antennae around the globe, has captured the first image of a black hole event horizon.

This black hole is located in Messier 87, or M87, which is about 55 million light years from Earth.

The event horizon is the boundary between what can and cannot escape a black hole's gravitational grasp.

Astronomers were also using other telescopes while the Event Horizon Telescope was getting its data including NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Chandra has studied M87 many times over its 20-year mission and sees a much wider field-of-view that the EHT.

By combining Chandra data with the EHT image, scientists can learn more about the giant black hole and its behavior.

For example, was material actively falling onto the black hole while the EHT was getting its revolutionary image? 

What was happening to energetic particles near and far from the event horizon during this time?

Scientists will use these data to learn as much as they can about the exotic and fascinating objects known as black holes.

For additional information and resources, please visit: NSF Exploring Black Holes: https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/blackholes/

Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO
Duration: 1 minute, 8 seconds

Release Date: April 10, 2019

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