The supermassive black hole hiding in the center of our galaxy is much closer to Earth, about 2,000 light-years closer, than scientists thought, according to new research out of Japan. Not only that but our solar system is moving faster than thought as it orbits this galactic center.20-Dec-2020
How close is the nearest supermassive black hole?
Astronomers have identified and weighed the nearest dual supermassive black hole, in a galaxy just 89 million light-years away.
How close are we to the nearest black hole?
So, while Earth's nearest known black hole may have just been pushed back a few thousand light-years (the next closest one sits about 3,000 light-years away, Live Science previously reported), HR 6819 remains an intriguing study target for other reasons entirely.
Is Earth getting closer to black hole?
Bottom line: A new project to map the Milky Way has shown that Earth is both moving faster and is closer to the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy than previously thought. The new number is 25,800 light-years from Earth, in contrast to the 27,700 light-years established by the IAU in 1985.
What would happen if a supermassive black hole came close to the Earth?
The edge of the Earth closest to the black hole would feel a much stronger force than the far side. As such, the doom of the entire planet would be at hand. We would be pulled apart.
What is the closest black hole to Earth 2020?
In 2020, a team of astronomers with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) discovered the closest black hole to Earth in the HR 6819 system, just 1,000 light-years away, only to have other scientists dispute the findings.
Are wormholes real?
Wormholes — shortcuts in space and time — have long been a staple of science fiction. But some scientists believe we may soon be able to prove that they are a real part of the universe—as real as the sun and the stars or you and I.
Does every galaxy have a supermassive black hole?
Black holes are a class of astronomical objects that have undergone gravitational collapse, leaving behind spheroidal regions of space from which nothing can escape, not even light. Observational evidence indicates that almost every large galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center.
What would happen if a black hole was approaching Earth?
What would happen if an asteroid-mass black hole were to hit Earth? In short, catastrophe. The black hole would puncture our planet's surface like a hot knife through butter, but it would immediately begin to slow down because of its gravitational interaction with Earth.
What would happen if Earth was swallowed by a black hole?
The strong uneven gravitational pull on the Earth would continuously deform the planet. This would generate a tremendous amount of internal friction, heating the Earth's core to disastrous levels. It would likely give rise to Earth-shattering earthquakes, volcanoes, and deadly tsunamis. The trifecta of doom.