Astronomers measure the power and speed of black hole jets for the first time
abcnews.com • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have, for the first time, measured the instantaneous power of jets emitted from a black hole, specifically from the Cygnus X-1 system, finding the jet power equivalent to 10,000 suns.
- The jets from Cygnus X-1 travel at roughly 355 million mph (540 million kph), about half the speed of light, and their power was determined using 18 years of high-resolution radio imaging and computer modeling.
- The research revealed that about 10% of the energy released as matter falls into the black hole is carried away by these jets, which are influenced by the stellar wind from the system's blue supergiant star companion.
- Cygnus X-1, located 7,200 light-years away in the Milky Way’s Cygnus constellation, is a binary system where the black hole continuously pulls gas from its companion star, fueling the jets.
- The study, published in Nature Astronomy, opens the door for similar measurements on other black holes, which could enhance understanding of how black holes influence galaxy formation and cosmic structures.
