Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Nearly naked black hole exposed by galactic close encounter
An illustration shows a black hole being stripped of its resident galactic material. Photo by Bill Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Supermassive black holes are usually hidden away at the center of galaxies. But researchers at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have discovered a black hole surrounded by relatively little galactic material. It's nearly naked, they say.
According to a new paper published in the Astrophysical Journal, the black hole's home galaxy was stripped of material by a close encounter with a much larger galaxy.
What's left of the black hole's galactic clothing stretches just 3,000 light-years across. The Milky Way, for comparison, is 100,000 light-years across.
The unmasked black hole is surprising, not just for its limited galactic insulation, but because the black hole is fleeing the close encounter at a speed of 2,000 miles per second -- still intact.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/11/02/Nearly-naked-black-hole-exposed-by-galactic-close-encounter/5651478112607/?spt=mps&or=1
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
What's a case of OCD among friends. 
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.