Ever wondered what secrets lie at the edge of a black hole? An international team of astronomers has just unveiled a fresh glimpse into the M87 black hole, 55 million light-years away, using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).
Building on the historic 2017 photo released in 2019, the EHT targeted M87 again in 2018 and 2021. By merging data from all three campaigns, researchers painted a dynamic portrait of the black hole’s magnetic fields, revealing a cosmic dance in three acts:
- 2017: Magnetic fields spiral one way.
- 2018: Spirals settle into a more stable state.
- 2021: Spirals reverse direction, signaling turbulent change.
These flips suggest an evolving environment where magnetic forces steer how gas and dust plunge into the black hole and how powerful jets launch outward. For the first time, the team also spotted extended jet emission near the jet base, connecting directly to the glowing ring around M87.
Why does this matter? Jets like M87’s distribute energy across galaxies, regulating star formation and driving cosmic evolution. M87’s colossal jet offers a real-world lab to unravel high-energy mysteries, from particle acceleration to galaxy growth.
This achievement is a testament to global teamwork, including astronomers from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Chinese mainland, and other institutions worldwide.
What’s next? Scientists aim to sharpen these images even further and track the black hole’s magnetic shifts in real time. The universe’s most enigmatic dance is just getting started.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
