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Fastest Spinning Black Hole Ever Found

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the wheeee dept.

brian0918 writes, "NewScientist reports that researchers in Cambridge have detected a black hole spinning at nearly 1,000 times per second — the fastest ever recorded. From the article: 'McClintock's team examined a black hole in our galaxy called GRS 1915+105, which lies about 36,000 light years away. They found the innermost stable orbit around GRS 1915 is so close that the black hole must be spinning at nearly 1000 times per second. The finding supports the idea that only fast-spinning stars can collapse to create powerful explosions called long gamma-ray bursts.'" The Astrophysical Journal abstract is open but you have to be a subscriber to read the full article there.

10 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. Not so impressed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I bet it would make for a crappy RAID array.

    In addition to low throughput, I bet there would be some data loss.

    1. Re:Not so impressed by Gogogoch · · Score: 2, Funny

      Apparantly, there is no data loss. That idea has been revised. Just a very, very long access time.

  2. Fastest Spinning Black-Hole by Quaoar · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought this title was held by White House press secretary Tony Snow...

    --
    I'll form my OWN solar system! With blackjack! And hookers!
    1. Re:Fastest Spinning Black-Hole by brian0918 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ahh, so he's considered a black hole because of his ability to absorb vast amounts of information, yet emit nothing in return, except through accidental leaks over billions of years? Brilliant insight!

    2. Re:Fastest Spinning Black-Hole by fonetik · · Score: 3, Funny

      You could probably throw something in there about being so dense that light actually bends around him.

  3. One thing is for sure. by AltGrendel · · Score: 3, Funny

    We know it won't fly apart from centrifugal force.

    --
    The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination

    - Douglas Adams

  4. So the question is... by Kenja · · Score: 4, Funny

    So the question is, whos grave is it and what did we do to get them to spin that fast?

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  5. obligatory by owlnation · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one, welcome our new extremely dizzy overlords.

  6. Re:Orbiting at no more than 30 miles from the cent by Eternauta3k · · Score: 5, Funny
    It's got to be on the verge of exploding. I wonder what effect the explosion will have here on Earth at 38,000 light years away?
    Maybe it has already exploded. Just wait 38,000 years to find out.
    --
    Yeah. Would you choose a neurosurgeon who pokes around people's brains in his spare time? I wouldn't.
  7. Re:Is that fast enough for closed timelike curves? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone seen John Titor lately?
    Yup, I saw him tomorrow