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Largest Black Hole Measured

Posted by kdawson on from the that's-no-moon dept.

porkpickle tips us to a BBC article on the quasar OJ287, a binary object containing largest black hole yet discovered, weighing in at 18 billion times the mass of Sol. Researchers were able to estimate its mass due to the presence of a smaller black hole in orbit around it. When the smaller companion's orbit intersects OJ287's accretion disk, once every 12 years, it triggers a burst of radiation that was detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope. More detail and a diagram are available on the Turku University site.

4 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Spitzer Space Telescope? by adavies42 · · Score: -1, Troll

    The Spitzer Space Telescope? For finding governor Eliot's ethics?

    --
    Media that can be recorded and distributed can be recorded and distributed.
    -kfg
  2. how did they... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Get to my ex-husband butt?

    1. Re:how did they... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Hey look! A woman made a stupid, corny, retarted joke. Just like every woman makes... because they can't figure out how to be funny... they just know how to slag Men.

      Say NO to women's rights. Forcefully.

  3. Sol by errxn · · Score: 0, Troll

    ...otherwise known as *the Sun*. I mean, can we get just a little more pretentious?

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