Black holes are spinning faster than expected
There’s a Universe full of black holes out there, spinning merrily away—some fast, others more slowly.
A recent survey of supermassive black holes reveals that...
About a third of supermassive black holes are hiding
Supermassive black holes can have trillions of times more mass than the Sun, only exist in specific locations, and could number in the trillions.
How...
Astronomers see flares coming from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole
There’s plenty of action at the center of the galaxy, where a supermassive black hole (SMBH) known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) literally holds...
Why we study black holes and neutron stars
Black holes and neutron stars are among the most fascinating and mysterious objects in the universe.
These cosmic phenomena form when massive stars reach the...
An early supermassive black hole took a little break between feasts
In the last couple of decades, it’s become increasingly clear that massive galaxies like our own Milky Way host supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in...
Scientists discover sleeping giant black hole in the early universe
Astronomers have discovered a massive black hole in the early universe that seems to be "napping" after a feast.
This black hole, found using the...
How did black holes grow so quickly
Within nearly every galaxy is a supermassive black hole.
The beast at the heart of our galaxy contains the mass of millions of suns, while...
Cosmic fireworks: M87’s black hole unleashes rare gamma-ray flare
Scientists have observed a rare and powerful gamma-ray flare from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87), marking...
Astronomers find a black hole tipped over on its side
Almost every large galaxy has a supermassive black hole churning away at its core.
In most cases, these black holes spin in concert with their...
Scientists discover first binary star near Milky Way’s supermassive black hole
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.
For the first time, researchers have...