13.2-billion-year-old black hole discovered by NASA's X-Ray Telescope
Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
Astronomers Unearth the Oldest Black Hole on Record
In a groundbreaking revelation, astronomers have unveiled what is now recognised as the most ancient black hole in the universe, rewriting our understanding of cosmic history
Born 470 Million Years After the Big Bang
According to a report by Sky News, this enigmatic black hole's origins trace back to a mere 470 million years after the colossal event known as the Big Bang. Its existence was pinpointed through the utilisation of NASA's advanced X-ray telescopes
The Enigma of Its Mass
Scientists have presented "strong evidence" suggesting that this cosmic entity was born with considerable mass, with estimates ranging between 10% and 100% of the combined mass of all the stars within its host galaxy. This mysterious mass raises questions about its formation and significance
Confirming Theoretical Existence
The identification of this ancient black hole serves as strong corroboration of long-standing theories that have posited the existence of supermassive black holes during the early days of the universe
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An Ancient Universe
Considering that the estimated age of the universe is 13.7 billion years, the calculated age of this black hole, at 13.2 billion years, offers a captivating glimpse into its ancient origins, effectively positioning it as a relic of the cosmos' infancy
A Colossal Entity
Situated within the galaxy UHZ1, this colossal cosmic phenomenon dwarfs the black hole in our own Milky Way galaxy, boasting a size ten times greater, with an astounding diameter spanning 14.6 million miles
The Nature of Black Holes
Black holes are regions where an immense mass is crammed into a tiny space, generating an incredibly strong gravitational pull that traps even light
Importance of findings
NASA highlights the discovery's importance in understanding how supermassive black holes rapidly grow after the Big Bang. The central question is whether they form from massive gas cloud collapses, becoming black holes 10,000 to 100,000 times the mass of the Sun, or if they originate from the explosive deaths of early stars, creating smaller black holes, roughly 10 to 100 times the Sun's mass
Nature Astronomy
Priyamvada Natarajan, a participant in the research published in Nature Astronomy said that it's quite remarkable to encounter such a colossal entity at such an early cosmic stage. She also expressed her belief that this will mark the inaugural identification of an 'oversized black hole' and present the most compelling evidence to date that certain black holes originate from the gravitational collapse of massive gas clouds
A Glimpse into Early Growth
Researchers harnessed the power of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray observatory to detect this extraordinary black hole, giving a rare insight into its early development and the enduring mysteries that surround our ever-expanding universe