Supermassive black hole will 'eat' gas cloud

trubble76 · #1 by **trubble76** » Dec 15, 2011 11:52 am

Researchers have spotted a giant gas cloud spiralling into the supermassive black hole at our galaxy's centre.

Though it is known that black holes draw in nearby material, it will be the first chance to see one consume such a cloud.

As it is torn apart, the turbulent area around the black hole will become unusually bright, giving astronomers a chance to learn more about it

From here.

DoctorE · #2 by **DoctorE** » Dec 15, 2011 11:58 am

Onyx8 · #3 by **Onyx8** » Dec 16, 2011 1:42 am

I just put that in fave vids, too. Oops.

JoeB · #4 by **JoeB** » Dec 16, 2011 10:14 am

Gotta love how astronomers just call things the way they are:

- "Hey look, we found this super massive black hole!"
- "Cool find Dick (giggity), let's call it a supermassive black hole!"
- "Awesome!"

cavarka9 · #5 by **cavarka9** » Dec 16, 2011 10:25 am

I dont like the term black hole, I like to think of it as "Holy Sphere". Because its a hole on all sides. Wonder whether they are interested in getting people to rename things.

Evolving · #6 by **Evolving** » Dec 16, 2011 10:27 am

(sorry to be a geek, but:)

The theory states that the black hole in an active galactic nucleus has to have around 10^8 solar masses; whereas other black holes (such as those that we think we have detected in X-ray active binary systems) are much smaller: say 10 or so.

Hence "supermassive".

(There isn't one of those at the centre of our galaxy, however (fortunately for us), so the term is in fact not appropriate here.)

(I have got a sense of humour, honest...)

james1v · #7 by **james1v** » Dec 16, 2011 10:37 am

Amazing.

Evolving · #8 by **Evolving** » Dec 16, 2011 10:43 am

The black hole at the centre of our galaxy has been estimated to have a mass of 2.6 × 10^6 solar masses.

Which is quite a lot, but two orders of magnitude less than a "supermassive" one.

twistor59 · #9 by **twistor59** » Dec 16, 2011 11:02 am

Evolving wrote:The black hole at the centre of our galaxy has been estimated to have a mass of 2.6 × 10^6 solar masses.

Which is quite a lot, but two orders of magnitude less than a "supermassive" one.

But enough to cause Glaciers melting in the dead of night ?

Evolving · **#10** by **Evolving** » Dec 16, 2011 11:30 am

yes, but only during half of the year - the rest of the time, the much cooler sun shields us...

DeepSpaceDreamer · **#11** by **DeepSpaceDreamer** » Dec 16, 2011 6:40 pm

Enough to set my soul alight.

:mrgreen:

twistor59 · **#12** by **twistor59** » Dec 16, 2011 7:43 pm

DeepSpaceDreamer wrote:Enough to set my soul alight.

cavarka9 · **#13** by **cavarka9** » Dec 16, 2011 7:53 pm

so, holy sphere has no takers?

twistor59 · **#14** by **twistor59** » Dec 16, 2011 8:06 pm

cavarka9 wrote:so, holy sphere has no takers?

Robin maybe ?

cavarka9 · **#15** by **cavarka9** » Dec 16, 2011 8:08 pm

twistor59 wrote:
cavarka9 wrote:so, holy sphere has no takers?

Robin maybe ?

robin?

twistor59 · **#16** by **twistor59** » Dec 16, 2011 8:13 pm

cavarka9 wrote:
twistor59 wrote:
cavarka9 wrote:so, holy sphere has no takers?

Robin maybe ?

robin?

http://adamwest.tripod.com/robin.htm

cavarka9 · **#17** by **cavarka9** » Dec 16, 2011 8:30 pm

twistor59 wrote:
cavarka9 wrote:
twistor59 wrote:

Robin maybe ?

robin?

http://adamwest.tripod.com/robin.htm

thought so, but didnt get the holy bit. The closest he came is to Holy blackout ,Holy hole in a donut ,Holy journey to the center of the earth ,holy keyhole, holy cosmos, but I agree with the general attitude to this question as said by robin as "Holy waste of energy ". Thanks

Evolving · **#18** by **Evolving** » Dec 16, 2011 8:31 pm

This discussion is wholly superfluous.

Robin

Sityl · **#19** by **Sityl** » Dec 16, 2011 8:35 pm

Evolving wrote:This discussion is wholly superfluous.

Robin

Or, holey supernovas.

twistor59 · **#20** by **twistor59** » Dec 16, 2011 8:57 pm

Holy black hole information-loss paradox tentatively resolved by the holographic principle as exemplified in the AdS/CFT correspondence

batman