Scientists have identified a new type of black hole that swivels and shoots beams at cosmic objects, reminiscent of the Death Star from Star Wars. This groundbreaking discovery is detailed in the Astrophysical Journal.
‘Death Star’ comparison
“These Death Star black holes are swiveling around and pointing at new targets, like the fictional space station in Star Wars,” said study leader Francesco Ubertosi of the University of Bologna in a press release.
Scientific findings
Ubertosi and his team analyzed 16 erupting supermassive black holes using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a system of ten radio telescopes located in Mexico. Their research revealed that the jets emitted by these black holes can swivel up to 90 degrees.
The cosmic vortices are estimated to be around 10 billion years old. “Changing the direction of the giant black hole beams in about a million years is analogous to changing the direction of a new battleship in a few minutes,” explained Gerrit Schellenberger of the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA).
These jets, composed of plasma particles accelerated by the black hole’s magnetic field, travel at nearly the speed of light and can reach several light-years from their source.
Impact on the cosmos
While the exact effects on existing planets and stars remain uncertain, scientists believe these beams may be preventing the formation of new stars and planets. “These galaxies are too distant to tell if the beams from the Death Star black holes are damaging stars and their planets, but we are confident they are preventing many stars and planets from forming in the first place,” stated CfA researcher Ewan O’Sullivan.
