Galactic blast
Chandra x-ray image of light echo at galactic centre
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Thursday, 11, Jan 2007 03:07
Scientists have uncovered evidence of a powerful explosion from the giant black hole at the Milky Way's centre.
Nasa's Chandra x-ray observatory captured the light echo from x-ray light created by gas falling into the black hole, known as Sagittarius A*, which was reflected off clouds nearby.
X-rays from the outburst would have reached the Earth about 50 years ago but the reflected x-rays took longer.
"This dramatic event happened before we had satellites in space that could detect it," said Michael Muno of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
"So, it's remarkable that we can use Chandra to dig into the past and see this monster black hole's capacity for destruction."
Other more recent outbursts have been detected by the observatory, but this most recent explosion was about 1,000 times brighter and lasted 1,000 times longer.
Presenting their results at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, Washington, the scientists argue that studying the light echo is important as it will help to understand molecular clouds near the centre of the galaxy, about which knowledge is fairly poor.
In particular, it is thought it will help to give more information about the dense cores of these clouds where new stars might be forming.