Scientists find largest black hole yet
Published: Oct. 17, 2007 at 2:31 PM
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Astronomers combining data from two telescopes have discovered the most massive stellar black hole yet observed.
The black hole is part of a binary system in M33, a nearby galaxy about 3 million light years from Earth.
By combining data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Gemini telescope in Hawaii, astronomers determined the mass of the black hole, known as M33 X-7, is 15.7 times that of the sun.
"This discovery raises all sorts of questions about how such a big black hole could have been formed,” said Jerome Orosz of San Diego State University, lead author of the study.
M33 X-7 orbits a companion star that eclipses the black hole every three and a half days, said Orosz, noting the companion star also has an unusually large mass, 70 times that of the sun. That makes it the most massive companion star in a binary system containing a black hole.
The findings are detailed in the journal Nature.
The black hole is part of a binary system in M33, a nearby galaxy about 3 million light years from Earth.
By combining data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Gemini telescope in Hawaii, astronomers determined the mass of the black hole, known as M33 X-7, is 15.7 times that of the sun.
"This discovery raises all sorts of questions about how such a big black hole could have been formed,” said Jerome Orosz of San Diego State University, lead author of the study.
M33 X-7 orbits a companion star that eclipses the black hole every three and a half days, said Orosz, noting the companion star also has an unusually large mass, 70 times that of the sun. That makes it the most massive companion star in a binary system containing a black hole.
The findings are detailed in the journal Nature.
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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