Astronomers from Turku made a groundbreaking discovery in 1982 when they found two black holes orbiting each other at a distance of about four billion light years from us. Located at the center of galaxy OJ 287, these black holes have recently been confirmed by NASA’s Tess satellite, which observed a sudden increase in brightness indicating their presence.
The smaller black hole was confirmed through NASA’s Tess satellite, which detected a brief outburst that lasted for only 12 hours. This phenomenon was challenging to observe without prior knowledge and required the collaboration of various telescopes and satellites, including NASA’s Swift telescope, to confirm its existence.
The sudden brightening of the smaller black hole was predicted by researcher Pauli Pihajoki and observed by Tess in November 2021. This confirmation aligns with the predictions made by Professor Mauri Valtonen in 1974 regarding the existence of double black holes. The discovery sheds light on the dynamics of such systems and provides valuable insights into the interaction between black holes and their surrounding environments.
Notably, the detection of gravitational waves from OJ 287, particularly from the smaller black hole, presents an exciting avenue for further research in the field of astrophysics. The discovery provides scientists with new information about how black holes interact with their surroundings and could lead to new discoveries about our universe.
In conclusion, the discovery of two black holes orbiting each other at a distance of about four billion light years from us is a remarkable achievement that has shed new light on our understanding of astrophysics. The confirmation of their existence through NASA’s Tess satellite has provided scientists with valuable insights into double black hole systems and their interaction with surrounding environments.
The brief outburst emitted by the smaller black hole illuminated the surrounding gas disc, allowing for its detection. This event was challenging to observe without prior knowledge and required collaboration between various telescopes and satellites. However, this discovery presents an exciting avenue for further research in astrophysics as it provides scientists with new information about how black holes interact with their surroundings.
Overall, this groundbreaking discovery has opened up new frontiers for research in astrophysics and will undoubtedly lead to many more discoveries about our universe.
