This composite image shows a supernova within the galaxy M100 that may contain the youngest known black hole in our cosmic neighborhood. In this image, Chandra's X-rays are colored gold, while optical data from ESO's Very Large Telescope are shown in yellow-white and blue, and infrared data from Spitzer are red. The location of the supernova, known as SN 1979C, is labeled (roll your mouse over the image above to view the labeled image).
SN 1979C was first reported to be seen by an amateur astronomer in 1979. The galaxy M100 is located in the Virgo Cluster about 50 million light years from Earth. This approximately 30-year age, plus its relatively close distance, makes SN 1979C the nearest example where the birth of a black hole has been observed, if the interpretation by the scientists is correct.
Data from Chandra, as well as NASA's Swift, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton and the German ROSAT observatory revealed a bright source of X-rays that has remained steady for the 12 years from 1995 to 2007 over which it has been observed. This behavior and the X-ray spectrum, or distribution of X-rays with energy, support the idea that the object in SN 1979C is a black hole being fed either by material falling back into the black hole after the supernova, or from a binary companion.
The scientists think that SN 1979C formed when a star about 20 times more massive than the Sun collapsed. It was a particular type of supernova where the exploded star had ejected some, but not all of its outer, hydrogen-rich envelope before the explosion, so it is unlikely to have been associated with a gamma-ray burst (GRB). Supernovas have sometimes been associated with GRBs, but only where the exploded star had completely lost its hydrogen envelope. Since most black holes should form when the core of a star collapses and a gamma-ray burst is not produced, this may be the first time that the common way of making a black hole has been observed.
The very young age of about 30 years for the black hole is the observed value, that is the age of the remnant as it appears in the image. Astronomers quote ages in this way because of the observational nature of their field, where their knowledge of the Universe is based almost entirely on the electromagnetic radiation received by telescopes.
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It is so pretty almost reminds me of a sparkling diamond.
Posted by Tamaya Cole on Friday, 12.9.16 @ 09:01am
Dear shakti,
Thanks for your question. The matter remains locked up inside the black hole, so it keeps on getting bigger and bigger.
-P. Edmonds, CXC
Posted by P. Edmonds on Friday, 11.9.12 @ 11:31am
Where does all the matter the black hole gobbles up go? Matter can't be destroyed, so it must be either transforming or going somewhere?
Posted by shakti on Monday, 10.15.12 @ 21:24pm
Can anyone explain me why the core of this galaxy region observed in X rays has such a size? I can imagine that a supermassive BH with an accretion disk would not be so extended. Are these many small active black holes together that make this big spot in the center?
thanks for answering
M.
Posted by Martin Masan on Thursday, 02.10.11 @ 08:15am
Isn't the center of the Milky Way a black hole?
Posted by shelli on Saturday, 12.4.10 @ 19:46pm
I think Nicholas' comments make a lot of sense.
Ted
Posted by Ted Pringle on Saturday, 11.27.10 @ 22:08pm
Kyle, The black hole will not swallow us. Let's put things into perspective, the Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light years across and this galaxy is 50 million light years away. The black hole is small relative to the immense space between our galaxy and its galaxy. However, you do bring up an important point that this black hole is a reminder of how fragile life on Earth is. There are a number of stars relatively close to us, 1,000 light years, that could have went supernova 999 years ago, and us Earthlings will receive the electromagnetic radiation next year.
Posted by Nicholas on Friday, 11.19.10 @ 23:41pm
Kyle black holes do not "expand" in the contrary. When a large star loses its energy it will result in a supernova. Remaining matter can, under certain conditions, form a black hole, which should not be larger than a tennis ball. This mass is dense enough that light cannot escape from there. Thus a black hole. We should be save. Even if our sun stops, it will not form a black hole.
Posted by David in t Veld on Friday, 11.19.10 @ 15:11pm
So if I get it right, we see it how it was like 50 million years ago. I wonder at what rate does this black hole expands? One more question, I didn't really understand how big is this black hole. So, 72,000 - 58,000 light years means like 4176000000? That doesn't mean it would've swallowed us by now?
If it expands with the rate of the speed of light, that means in 50 million years we should be gone, along side with our galaxy.
If someone can illuminate me I'd be glad, because it's really a fascinating subject.
Thank you
Posted by Kyle on Friday, 11.19.10 @ 09:09am
Interesting, and thank you for sharing.
Posted by rick on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 19:14pm
Since SN-1979C was discovered in 1979, is there any other pictures-records from this object to follow what happened in 2-3 years after the supernova, or the telescope just aimed back on the SN-1979C in 2010, which means that we lost the data between 1979 and 2010 and missed the actual creation of the singularity? I really got excited when I read this great work and I'll definitely keep following this.
Posted by David in t Veld on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 17:36pm
Dear Dorin,
No, we're safe from this black hole.
P. Edmonds for CXC
Posted by P Edmonds on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 16:01pm
Dear Alexander,
No, the black hole is much too far away from the Earth to have any effect on us.
P. Edmonds for CXC
Posted by P. Edmonds on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 15:58pm
Dear Liang,
The very young age of about 30 years for the black hole is the observed value, that is the age of the remnant as it appears in the image. Astronomers quote ages in this way because of the observational nature of their field, where their knowledge of the Universe is based almost entirely on the electromagnetic radiation received by telescopes.
An analogy involving photography may help. People collect photos of their family and loved ones. It doesn't matter when the photo was taken - the person in that image is captured in that particular moment of time. For instance, it is possible to look at a photo of your grandfather when he was only five years old, even though in today's time frame he is an older man.
In astronomy, the images we get from modern telescopes are equivalent to these snapshots. It may have taken very long for the photo of SN 1979C to be delivered to us - some 50 million years - but it represents a roughly 30-year-old object to us.
P. Edmonds for CXC
Posted by P. Edmonds on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 15:56pm
If pictures of the supernova, as seen in 1979, are pasted comparisons and understanding will be easier for us.
Posted by AK Sharma on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 11:05am
This really is a find.
Posted by Mark Ballington on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 06:39am
To the people confused with the age of the Black hole.
If the Black hole is 50 million light years away, and on Earth it was observed to have gone supernova 30 years ago then the actual event happened 50 million years. 30 years 50,000,030 years ago.
What NASA is doing, is sharing whatever information they have gathered through observing the Black holes evolution over the past three decades.
Much thanks to the Chandra team and NASA for their dedication, keep up the good work guys.
Posted by Saud on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 02:16am
Yes, the black hole is 50 million light years away which makes its light we see 50 million years old. At the moment we are seeing the light from the black hole as it was 30 years old. In essence, we are looking back in time as it were 50 million years ago. And no, it can't hurt us unless its north or south pole was aimed directly at earth which in turn would incinerate the planet with its gamma ray bursts.
Posted by Dan on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 01:11am
Congratulations.
SN 1979C was first reported to be seen by an amateur astronomer in 1979, Why you do not write down the name of the amateur astronomer who did the discovery? This seems to be quite not right.
Posted by Plamen Fiziev on Thursday, 11.18.10 @ 00:04am
What a golden opportunity to study a Black Hole in its infancy. Very fascinating indeed.
We are in no danger from this Black Hole. Much has been learned about these very fascinating objects. Go to your public library and read as many books as you can about them. Search in your favorite search engine, you will find much about them.
Marvin L. S.
Posted by Marvin L. S. on Wednesday, 11.17.10 @ 17:07pm
We are looking at the conditions after SN-1979C 30 years after it exploded. Even though it is 50 million years old in that end of the universe, we are effectively looking back in time and won't know its "current" condition until 50m years from now. So from our perspective, this black hole is only 30 years old.
Posted by Crim on Wednesday, 11.17.10 @ 15:41pm
Outstanding. If you can pin down the type of star that ends up as a black hole, that would be significant information.
Posted by Don and Sherry Berry on Wednesday, 11.17.10 @ 10:36am
Black holes are fascinating. Well done guys.
D
Posted by ashbashlottie on Wednesday, 11.17.10 @ 06:52am
Elegant indeed.
But, since Virgo Cluster is 50 million light years away from us, and we just saw the SN 1979C, doesn't it mean that at the moment, the black hole in question is a wee bit older than 30 years? Like 50 million years older.
This is yesterday's news people. Just kidding. This is awesome discovery. Keep it up, guys.
Posted by dorin palanciuc on Wednesday, 11.17.10 @ 03:38am
Does it mean we are not safe?
Posted by andrew on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 23:51pm
Is it 50 million light years away? that means that the light it generates takes 50 million years to reach us, right? why the article says it has only 30 years? or did the article means that it was discovered 30 years ago? I'm confused by those numbers.
Posted by Rafael on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 22:31pm
Elegant.
Keep up the good work and continue to inform the uninformed.
Posted by Willie Thoman on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 20:19pm
On TV they say that might be the end of the world. Could this "young black hole" eat our planet?
Posted by alexander on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 16:08pm
Nice, Hawking should be happy now.
Posted by Jesse Candido on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 15:06pm
The SN 1979C is age of 50 millon light years not 30-year age.
Posted by liang on Tuesday, 11.16.10 @ 07:03am
Wow...
Posted by ATOMEI on Monday, 11.15.10 @ 14:09pm
This is so cool. The black holes have always fascinate me.
But this is the opportunity to study the life of a black hole. This is the opportunity we were waiting for.
Posted by anacit15 on Monday, 11.15.10 @ 13:59pm