Scientists Reveal First-Ever Photo Of A Huge Black Hole In Polarized Light

At the center of a vast elliptical galaxy named: Messier 87, scientists have uncovered a black hole in polarized light. Sitting 55 million light-years from Earth, the black hole is estimated to be about a 6.5billion times the mass of our sun and spewing intense jets of energy. 

Scientists have uncovered a black hole in polarized light at the heart of a galaxy named: Messier 87

For the first time, the newly-captured image shed light on how magnetic fields behave close to the black hole. Using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), an international team of astronomers measured the polarization. As polarization is a magnetic field signature, the photo clarifies that the black hole ring is magnetized. 

The black hole is estimated to be about a 6.5billion times the mass of our sun

For the first time, the newly-captured image shed light on how magnetic fields behave close to the black hole

Specifically, polarization allows astronomers to map the magnetic field lines present at the inner edge of the black hole, across the bottom of the disc. “The newly published polarized images are key to understanding how the magnetic field allows the black hole to eat matter and launch powerful jets.” Andrew Chael (NASA Hubble Fellow At Princeton), according to Daily Mail, said. 

Polarization allows astronomers to map the magnetic field lines present at the inner edge of the black hole, across the bottom of the disc

“The newly published polarized images are key to understanding how the magnetic field allows the black hole to eat matter and launch powerful jets”

Likewise, the discovery will allow future astronomers to understand the process of producing energetic jets from their core. In 2019, scientists had released the first-ever image of the black hole with a bright ring-like structure. The image also showed a dark central region which turns out to be the black hole’s shadow. Since then, the EHT Team has dived deeper into the data collected and has discovered that a significant fraction of light around the black hole is polarized and more about its magnetic field. 

The first study in 2019 looked at visible light and its intensity. This time around, the team looked at the polarization of that light

Speaking to Daily Mail, Dr. Ziri Younsi, study co-author from University College London, revealed that the first study looked at visible light and its intensity. This time around, the team looked at the polarization of that light. “If you were to visit M87, you’d see the light produced by matter in its death throws as it crosses over the event horizon radiating light in all directions.”

Messier 87 (M87) is a galaxy located about 55 million light-years from Earth, and it’s visible in the constellation Virgo

EHT Team has dived deeper and has discovered the black hole is polarized and more about its magnetic field

“Not all of it reaches an observer, some falls in, and some goes into orbit around the black hole and appears as a series of rings surrounding the black hole,” Younsi explained. Nonetheless, the next big project for the Event Horizon Telescope Team is to publish a photo of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy – Sagittarius A* – 1000 times closer and 1000 smaller than M87.