Chandra Discovers "Baby" Black Hole Neighbor

Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory believe they've discovered what could be the youngest black hole in our cosmic neighborhood -- a mere 30 years old. The "baby" black hole is a remnant of SN 1979C, a supernova in the galaxy M100 about 50 million light years from Earth. Scientists believe that SN1979C, discovered by an amateur astronomer in 1979, formed with the collapse of a star about 20 times more massive than our Sun. The object's detection provides a unique opportunity to watch a black hole develop during infancy.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NASA
• Chandra
• Black
• Hole

[perrin6]

MANY HAPPY RETURNS, Mr Black hole - 30 years old today, I remember when I was 30, people told me to stop eating stars as 'you'll get fat', don't listen to them, it's not true, and anyway it's not as if you need a girlfriend or anything, So just let your hair down, the universe is your oyster.

[BADBOYCH]

Did the announcer get to close to the event horizon?

[9999ssjvegeta]

In the early times the astronomers thought that a supernova was a new star. That's why they called it nova. Nova means New in Greek but the name stuck. So pretty much every time we say supernova, we say supernew.

[thegreeensky]

awesome.. but a bit worried... is it good or something.. :l

[xXUfOHUNTERSWEDENxX]

like RIHANNA - BLACK HOLE

[IdolbiOK]

Freakin' awesome!

[xen423]

Just call me when the nearest star going supernova is going to happen, I want to get a good tan for the summer.

[moonasha]

@valixxx actually it is... it's a singularity. Sooo many dumb comments on this vid :|

[aliengoth]

Definitely got a bad feeling about this.

[Tekjammin]

@QuestionTheSystem

30 years old from our perspective, it's 50 million light years away so it's actually 50 million+30 years old.

[QuestionTheSystem]

did he say 30 years old?

[chica2030]

do we have to be worried....nope, or... not yet...but what wonderful they discovered this hahahahahahaha