Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected a plasma jet from a supermassive black hole interacting with an unidentified object in the Centaurus A galaxy. This finding offers new insights into the behavior of black hole jets and their interactions with celestial objects.
Centaurus A, located 12 million light-years from Earth, is an irregular galaxy notable for its supermassive black hole. This black hole generates massive radiation jets stretching 40,000 light-years across the galaxy.
Researchers identified a V-shaped patch of bright X-ray emissions within the galaxy. The emission is caused by the black hole’s plasma jet colliding with a hidden object, named "C4," whose nature remains unknown.
The object C4 displays a V-shaped wake, with two streams of matter trailing at distinct angles. Each arm of the V stretches about 700 light-years, a pattern not observed in other jet interactions.
Scientists speculate that C4 could be a massive star or a binary star system. Interactions between the black hole jet particles and the star's solar wind might create the X-ray emissions observed in the Chandra images.
While the lower arm of the V aligns with expected behavior, the upper arm's larger angle is harder to explain. This discrepancy suggests that C4 may possess properties not seen in other known objects.
Black holes eject plasma jets by accelerating matter along their magnetic field lines. These jets travel at near-relativistic speeds, and their interactions with other objects reveal clues about their dynamics and the surrounding environment.
Due to its proximity and activity, Centaurus A has been a focal point for studying black hole jets. Past studies have identified "jet knots," bright spots of X-ray radiation within its plumes, but C4's unique features stand out.
Astronomers are working to determine the nature of C4 and its unusual wake structure. NASA has suggested the object's unique interaction with the jet could be influenced by its type or the angle of impact. For now, the identity of C4 remains unresolved.