Latest news with #ZwickyTransientFacility
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Astronomers discover black hole ripping a star apart inside a galactic collision. 'It is a peculiar event'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have taken a detailed look at a rare and incredibly violent cosmic event resulting from an unfortunate star venturing too close to a supermassive black hole. The team behind the research hopes it could reveal more about how such events, dubbed "tidal disruption events" or "TDEs," influence the evolution of their host brutal battles between stellar bodies and the immense gravity of black holes with masses millions or even billions of times that of the sun result in stars being shredded and fed to the black holes. This cosmic cannibalism causes blasts of light that can outshine the combined light of every star in the host galaxy of the TDE, alerting scientists to a gory stellar death. This particular TDE has been designated AT 2022wtn, and occurred in a galaxy located around 700 million light-years away. This galaxy is in the early stages of merging with one of its galactic neighbors. The galaxy that hosts the TDE is known as SDSSJ232323.79+104107.7, and it is the smaller of the two colliding galaxies. The other galaxy mixed up in this merger is at least ten times larger than SDSSJ232323.79+104107.7. It is thought that the two galaxies in this merging system have already made a close pass to one other. This represents just the second time that a TDE has been detected in interacting galaxies. That's despite a prevailing theory that the early stages of mergers create the kind of conditions that favor these brutal occurrences. AT 2022wtn was first brought to the attention of astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), with further investigation in wavelengths of light ranging from radio to infrared and even X-rays, which revealed its nature as a TDE. The astronomers were able to determine that the black hole involved in this TDE has a mass equal to around 1 million suns, while its stellar meal is a low-mass star. However, despite clearly presenting itself as an example of a supermassive black hole ripping apart a star, there are some unusual aspects of AT 2022wtn that set it apart from other TDEs. "It is a peculiar event. Its light curve is characterized by a plateau in the phase of maximum brightness, lasting about 30 days, accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature and a spectral sequence that shows the development of two emission lines corresponding to the wavelengths of helium and nitrogen," team leader and National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) Francesca Onori said in a statement. "Something that we had never observed with such clarity." Like all TDEs, AT 2022wtn would have begun when a doomed star's orbit brought it too close to the central supermassive black hole at the heart of its host galaxy. This results in the immense gravitational influence of the black hole generating immense tidal forces within the star. These forces squash the star horizontally while stretching it vertically, a process colorfully known as "spaghettification."Some of the resulting stellar wreckage winds around the destructive supermassive black hole like actual spaghetti around a fork, forming a whirling flattened cloud of plasma called an accretion disk. Not all of the material from the wrecked star falls around the black hole and eventually into its maw, however. A great deal of stellar matter is blasted out as powerful, high-speed outflows or jets. In the case of AT 2022wtn, these outflows created a short, bright radio emission from the TDE and extreme changes in the velocity of light-emitting elements around the also indicated that the star was completely destroyed as a result of this TDE and that, in addition to an accretion disk, the cosmic cannibalistic event created an expanding spherical "bubble" of expelled gas. Related Stories: — Black hole announces itself to astronomers by violently ripping apart a star — Massive star's gory 'death by black hole' is the biggest and brightest event of its kind — Star escapes ravenous supermassive black hole, leaving behind its stellar partner "We found clear traces of the dynamics of the surrounding material also in some emission lines which show characteristics compatible with a fast propagation towards the outside," Onori said. "Thanks to our monitoring campaign, we were able to propose an interpretation of the origin of the observed radiation: AT2022wtn gave rise to a rapid formation of the disk around the black hole and the subsequent expulsion of part of the stellar matter. "This result is particularly relevant, since the source of visible light and the physical conditions of the region from which it comes, in TDEs, are still under study."The team's research was published on May 23 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Astronomers witness supermassive black hole tear star apart during violent galactic collision—here's what exactly happened in this rare tidal disruption event
Black hole rips apart star in rare galactic collision: Astronomers witness violent tidal disruption event- A supermassive black hole ripping a star apart during a galaxy merger has given astronomers a rare and violent spectacle to study—one that could unlock new insights into how black holes influence their galaxies. This cosmic event, called a tidal disruption event (TDE), happened about 700 million light-years from Earth in a merging pair of galaxies. The event, named AT 2022wtn, is only the second TDE ever seen in interacting galaxies, making it an extraordinary discovery. Scientists say it sheds light—quite literally—on how massive black holes feed, evolve, and possibly impact galactic development. What exactly is a tidal disruption event and why is AT 2022wtn so rare? A tidal disruption event occurs when a star strays too close to a supermassive black hole—an object millions or even billions of times heavier than the Sun. The black hole's gravitational pull is so intense that it rips the star apart, stretching and squeezing it in a process astronomers call spaghettification. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo In the case of AT 2022wtn, this violent dismemberment took place in a galaxy called SDSSJ232323.79+104107.7. This galaxy is currently colliding with a larger neighboring galaxy, at least ten times its size, in the early stages of a galactic merger. The merging process is believed to stir up activity near black holes, possibly triggering TDEs like this one. The discovery of AT 2022wtn is crucial because, although galaxy mergers are common, seeing a TDE in one is extremely rare. That's what makes this observation so special. Live Events How did astronomers find out about this cosmic disaster? The TDE was first spotted by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), which scans the sky for sudden bursts of light and unusual activity. From there, teams across the globe dug deeper, observing the event across the entire spectrum of light—from radio waves to X-rays. The black hole at the center of this event is estimated to have a mass around 1 million times that of the Sun, and the unlucky star it consumed was a low-mass star. Researchers saw a massive burst of light when the star was torn apart, which temporarily outshone the entire galaxy it lived in. What makes AT 2022wtn different from other star-eating events? According to Francesca Onori from Italy's National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), this event showed features never seen this clearly before. She called it 'a peculiar event' and noted that its light curve stayed at peak brightness for about 30 days—a long time in TDE terms. During that time, the temperature dropped sharply, and scientists detected specific emission lines in the light from the event—namely helium and nitrogen. This suggests very complex chemical activity and possibly a rapid formation of an accretion disk, a spinning cloud of material forming around the black hole from the remains of the star. Onori added, 'We found clear traces of the dynamics of the surrounding material,' showing that stellar debris was being pushed outward rapidly, creating a kind of expanding bubble of gas. What happens when a star becomes 'spaghetti'? When a star ventures too close to a black hole, the difference in gravity between the side closest to the black hole and the side furthest away becomes extreme. This causes the star to be squeezed and stretched into long, thin strands—hence the term spaghettification. In AT 2022wtn, this shredded material formed a whirling disk of plasma. Some of the star's material spiraled into the black hole, while other parts were blasted away into space as jets and high-speed outflows. The team also detected a brief burst of radio waves, confirming these explosive emissions. Why is this discovery so important for science? This rare black hole-star interaction not only gave scientists a detailed view of how TDEs form, but also helped them understand the physical conditions around black holes during galaxy mergers. According to the research team, the study provides new evidence that supports the idea that galaxy collisions can trigger black holes to become more active. It also adds crucial data on how TDEs evolve, how accretion disks form, and how the resulting radiation is produced. Their findings were published on May 23 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. A cosmic warning and a clue to galaxy growth? While Earth is safe from such destruction (our Sun isn't near any massive black holes), these events serve as important reminders of the raw power of gravity and the extreme physics happening in deep space. More importantly, they give us clues about how black holes grow, how they interact with their environment, and how they may even shape the galaxies around them. For astronomers, AT 2022wtn is more than a violent end for one star—it's a rare and valuable opportunity to study the life cycle of galaxies and the monstrous forces that control them. FAQs: Q1: What is a tidal disruption event in a galaxy merger? A tidal disruption event is when a star gets torn apart by a supermassive black hole during a galactic collision. Q2: Why is AT 2022wtn important for black hole research? It's a rare case of a black hole eating a star during a galaxy merger, offering new insights into black hole behavior.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Scientists stumble across a massive black hole that woke up from slumber after 20 years
In a new, groundbreaking discovery, scientists have discovered a supermassive black hole that woke up from slumber after 20 years of inactivity. Located in the heart of the SDSS1335+0728 galaxy in the Virgo constellation, which is around 300 million light years away, the massive black hole was detected by the Zwicky Transient Facility after it noticed a sudden change in the galaxy's brightness in late 2019. The black hole, which has a mass approximately one million times that of the Sun, has been spewing out intense light in the infrared, optical and ultraviolet wavelengths for a while. However, last year, Chilean astronomers noticed that it was spewing out bursts of X-rays, which was a sign that the sleeping black hole was waking up from its nearly 20-year-long slumber. Soon after, it started feeding on the gas around it, causing the galaxy to become one with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), with scientists giving it the nickname – Ansky. Follow-up measurements indicate that the black hole hasn't settled down even after four years, which is way longer than the brightest supernova flares. However, the luminosity is still lower than that of quasars. 'Imagine you've been observing a distant galaxy for years, and it always seemed calm and inactive. Suddenly, its core starts showing dramatic changes in brightness, unlike any typical event we've seen before,' says Paula Sanchez Saez, the lead author of the study, who first noticed the massive black hole. While it is not uncommon for black holes to go dormant for a few years, where they do not gobble up matter, this is the first time humans are observing a black hole transitioning from a quiet to active state. The observation might also help scientists study the evolution of galaxies and the growth of black holes, offering insights into how these cosmic phenomena work.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Rare Cosmic Event: Supermassive Black Hole Wakes Up After 20-Year Slumber, Stuns Astronomers
In a groundbreaking observation, astronomers have witnessed a galaxy, SDSS1335+0728, dramatically "turn on the lights" after a 20-year slumber, marking the first real-time observation of a massive black hole awakening. The galaxy SDSS1335+0728, located approximately 300 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, began exhibiting dramatic changes in brightness in late 2019, as detected by the Zwicky Transient Facility. Its core, powered by a black hole one million times the Sun's mass, began radiating intense light across ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths, and by February 2024, it emitted X-rays, signalling unprecedented activity. This phenomenon, detailed in Astronomy & Astrophysics, suggests the black hole started feasting on surrounding gas, transforming the galaxy into one with an active galactic nucleus (AGN). According to researchers utilised data from multiple observatories, including the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, to monitor the galaxy's transformation. "Imagine you've been observing a distant galaxy for years, and it always seemed calm and inactive. Suddenly, its core starts showing dramatic changes in brightness, unlike any typical event we've seen before," said Paula Sanchez Saez, an astronomer at ESO in Germany and lead author of the study accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. This event marks the first real-time observation of a black hole transitioning from a quiescent to an active state, providing invaluable insights into the behaviour of these cosmic giants. Co-author Claudio Ricci noted that such "giant monsters" typically remain dormant and invisible, making this a rare glimpse into black hole activation. Alternative explanations, like a prolonged tidal disruption event where a star is shredded by the black hole, are being explored, but the sustained brightness over years sets this apart from typical flares, which fade within months. Profound Implications This observation could refine models of black hole growth and galaxy evolution, offering clues about how these cosmic giants influence star formation. Researchers are using advanced telescopes, like the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, to gather more data, hoping to confirm whether this is a new class of outburst or a slow tidal event. Each scenario would require revising models of black hole accretion and the frequency of black hole awakenings in the present-day universe. "Regardless of the nature of the variations, this galaxy provides valuable information on how black holes grow and evolve. We expect that instruments such as MUSE on the VLT and those on the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope will be key to understanding why the galaxy is brightening," Sanchez Saez added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Astronomers stunned as sleeping Black Hole roars back to life after 20 years
The night sky was once thought of as a calm, unchanging dome, but over the years, it has become a dynamic canvas for discovery. Modern telescopes like the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) are now looking deep into the night sky and the cosmos in real time, capturing sudden flashes, flares, and transformations as they happen. The advancement in technology every day is giving ways to observe the universe and witness cosmic events that happen over days, weeks, or even years, events that were previously considered too rare or distant to catch in action. One such surprise came up during late 2019, when a quiet galaxy, SDSS1335+0728, suddenly lit up in the Virgo constellation, located about 300 million light-years from Earth. What followed has kept astronomers captivated for over four years, and the show isn't over yet. What is happening in the cosmos? In December 2019, astronomers spotted that the quiet core of SDSS1335+0728, a spiral galaxy in the Virgo constellation, suddenly brightened by several orders of magnitude. Located about 300 million light-years away, this galaxy had shown no signs of activity for over two decades. Now, its center home to a supermassive black hole roughly a million times the mass of the Sun was blazing to life. Astronomers immediately suspected either a tidal disruption event, where a star gets torn apart by a black hole's gravity, or the first signs of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) waking up. But what made this case unusual was the duration. More than four years later, the flare hasn't faded, far exceeding the timescale of typical star-eating episodes or supernovae. 'This behavior is unprecedented,' said Paula Sánchez Sáez, lead author of the study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics and an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Germany. Instruments including ESO's X-shooter spectrograph detected a consistent rise in ultraviolet, optical, and infrared light—and in February 2024, X-ray emissions began for the first time. The spectrum now reveals broad emission lines, meaning gas moving near light-speed close to the black hole. 'Suddenly, its core starts showing dramatic changes in brightness, unlike any typical event we've seen before,' Sánchez Sáez added. Co-author Lorena Hernández García of the Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (MAS) in Chile noted, 'If so, this would be the first time that we see the activation of a massive black hole in real time.' There is a new nuclear activity in space That makes SDSS1335+0728 a cosmic rarity. It doesn't shine as brightly as classic quasars, but its persistence rules out most common flare types. It sits in a gray area, possibly marking a new category of nuclear activity. 'This could also happen to our own Sgr A*, the massive black hole at the center of our galaxy,' said Claudio Ricci of Diego Portales University in Chile. 'But it's unclear how likely that is.' Researchers are now trying to determine whether this is a very slow tidal disruption, the birth of a new accretion disk, or something never seen before. Each scenario could reshape models of how supermassive black holes evolve today. 'We expect that instruments such as MUSE on the VLT and those on the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope will be key to understanding why the galaxy is brightening,' said Sánchez Sáez.
