US EditionJets from powerful black holes can point astronomers toward where to look for life in the universe
- NGC 4945, a spiral galaxy 12 million light-years away, exhibits a supermassive black hole 'playing with its food' on March 31, 2025.
- Supermassive black holes exist at the center of most galaxies, and mergers fuel the most energetic ones, leading to the ejection of matter.
- Radio quasars, a subclass of black holes, generate powerful jets of energetic particles that can either speed up or suppress star formation.
- The astrophysicist's model suggests counterrotation, the change to corotation taking 100 million years, governs radio quasar behavior and impacts potential habitability.
- These findings, derived from MUSE observations at ESO's VLT, suggest advanced extraterrestrial civilizations might emerge in low-density environments far from X-ray emissions.
5 Articles
5 Articles
Jets from powerful black holes can point astronomers toward where to look for life in the universe
One of the most powerful objects in the universe is a radio quasar—a spinning black hole spraying out highly energetic particles. Come too close to one, and you'd get sucked in by its gravitational pull, or burn up from the intense heat surrounding it. But ironically, studying black holes and their jets can give researchers insight into where potentially habitable worlds might be in the universe.
The Conversation
nexusnewsfeed.comJets from powerful black holes can point astronomers toward where − and where not − to look for life in the universe
Black holes, like the one in this illustration, can spray powerful jets. S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF), CC BY-SAOne of the most powerful objects in the universe is a radio quasar – a spinning black hole spraying out highly energetic particles. Come too close to one, and you’d get sucked in by its gravitational pull, or burn up from the intense heat surrounding it. But ironically, studying black holes and their jets can give researchers insight into…
Supermassive Black Hole "Caught Playing with its Food"
Supermassive Black Hole "Caught Playing with its Food" | ESOThis picture shows a stunning spiral galaxy known as NGC 4945. This little corner of space, near the constellation of Centaurus and over 12 million light-years away, may seem peaceful at first—but NGC 4945 is locked in a violent struggle.This image gives us a close-up view of the galaxy NGC 4945’s active core—clouds of dust and gas obscuring its supermassive black hole. We can also see …
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