The mystery of how a black hole destroyed two stars has been solved

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Lerato Khumalo

Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other advanced telescopes, researchers led by Queen’s University Belfast have revealed how a massive black hole destroyed two stars.

In 2019, astronomers witnessed a star that came too close to a black hole being torn apart by strong gravitational forces. After this event, the remnants of the star accumulated in the form of a disk around the black hole, forming a ‘star graveyard’. The new findings showed that this disk began to expand and collide with another star or a smaller black hole. This collision causes X-ray bursts that repeat every 48 hours.

Leading the team, Dr. Matt Nicholl compared this event to the water splashed by a diver every time he enters the water, and said, “Every collision of the star with the gas disk around the black hole causes a huge explosion of gas and X-rays.”

The explosions were recorded by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, connecting two mysteries that previously had only hints. Dr. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dheeraj Pasham said, “This means solving two cosmic mysteries in a single discovery.”

Dr. from Oxford University Andrew Mummery said, “Understanding the source of these regular explosions will allow us to measure the prevalence and distances of objects around black holes.”