A Glimpse into the Past
The Chandra X-ray Observatory has recently captured images of a black hole at a stage of growth that has never been witnessed before. These images provide a unique view into the past, as the black hole is located at such a significant distance from Earth that we are effectively seeing it as it existed when the universe was only 3% of its current age.
A Colossal Structure
This extraordinary black hole is not only a glimpse into the past but also a testament to its immense size. Scientists estimate its mass to be between 10 million and 100 million times that of our sun. In fact, the newly discovered void is so large that the black hole’s mass is comparable to the entire mass of everything within its host galaxy.
Unraveling the Mystery
One of the main reasons this discovery is so significant is that scientists believe it provides crucial insights into the formation of “outsize black holes.” The prevailing theory suggests that these colossal black holes are created from massive clouds of gas. Priyamvada Natarajan, a Yale University researcher and co-author of the study, believes that this may be the first detection of an ‘Outsize Black Hole’ and the best evidence yet obtained that some black holes form from massive gas clouds.
Natarajan explains, “For the first time, we are seeing a brief stage where a supermassive black hole weighs about as much as the stars in its galaxy, before it falls behind.”
Two Theories
There are currently two main theories regarding the formation of black holes. The first suggests that they are born when a star explodes in a supernova or as a result of a collision between stars. The second theory, particularly relevant to “outsize black holes,” proposes that they are formed when massive clouds of gas collapse.
The discovery of the UHZ1 void adds weight to the latter theory, providing compelling evidence that some early black holes did indeed form from enormous gas clouds. Andy Goulding, a researcher from Princeton and another author of the study, explains, “There are physical limits on how quickly black holes can grow once they’ve formed, but ones that are born more massive have a head start. It’s like planting a sapling, which takes less time to grow into a full-size tree than if you started with only a seed.”
Born Massive
The brightness and energy of the X-rays emitted from UHZ1 indicate that the black hole was born massive, according to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This further supports the idea that some black holes start their existence with a considerable mass, giving them a significant advantage in growth compared to their smaller counterparts.
This groundbreaking discovery opens up new avenues for research and deepens our understanding of the formation and evolution of black holes. The images captured by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory provide a glimpse into the distant past and shed light on the awe-inspiring power and mysteries of the universe.