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The scientists then observed Cygnus A with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in November of 2016, clearly detecting the new object.
...
What is the new object? Based on its characteristics, the astronomers concluded it must be either a supernova explosion or an outburst from a second supermassive black hole near the galaxy's center. While they want to watch the object's future behavior to make sure, they pointed out that the object has remained too bright for too long to be consistent with any known type of supernova.
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While the new object definitely is separate from Cygnus A's central supermassive black hole, by about 1500 light-years, it has many of the characteristics of a supermassive black hole that is rapidly feeding on surrounding material.
Astronomers have watched as a massive, dying star was likely reborn as a black hole. It took the combined power of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), and NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to go looking for remnants of the vanquished star, only to find that it disappeared out of sight.
...
The star, which was 25 times as massive as our sun, should have exploded in a very bright supernova. Instead, it fizzled out—and then left behind a black hole.
"Massive fails" like this one in a nearby galaxy could explain why astronomers rarely see supernovae from the most massive stars...
originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
More black hole news!
Astronomers have watched as a massive, dying star was likely reborn as a black hole. It took the combined power of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), and NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to go looking for remnants of the vanquished star, only to find that it disappeared out of sight.
...
The star, which was 25 times as massive as our sun, should have exploded in a very bright supernova. Instead, it fizzled out—and then left behind a black hole.
"Massive fails" like this one in a nearby galaxy could explain why astronomers rarely see supernovae from the most massive stars...
phys.org, May 25, 2017 - Collapsing star gives birth to a black hole.
I always thought it was only by supernova but have just learned of "massive fail" where a star fails to explode. I think they were watching the star to watch it go nova but it went dark instead (and you can't see anything there).
Who knew?
originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
More black hole news!
Astronomers have watched as a massive, dying star was likely reborn as a black hole. It took the combined power of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), and NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to go looking for remnants of the vanquished star, only to find that it disappeared out of sight.
...
The star, which was 25 times as massive as our sun, should have exploded in a very bright supernova. Instead, it fizzled out—and then left behind a black hole.
"Massive fails" like this one in a nearby galaxy could explain why astronomers rarely see supernovae from the most massive stars...
phys.org, May 25, 2017 - Collapsing star gives birth to a black hole.
I always thought it was only by supernova but have just learned of "massive fail" where a star fails to explode. I think they were watching the star to watch it go nova but it went dark instead (and you can't see anything there).
Who knew?