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    Spitzer Telescope reveals the Precise Timing of a Black Hole Dance

    April 30, 2020, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    This image shows two massive black holes in the OJ 287 galaxy. The smaller black hole orbits the larger one, which is also surrounded by a disk of gas. When the smaller black hole crashes through the disk, it produces a flare brighter than 1 trillion stars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Scientists have finally figured out the precise timing of a complicated dance between two enormous black holes, revealing hidden details about the physical characteristics of these mysterious cosmic objects.

    Black holes aren’t stationary in space; in fact, they can be quite active in their movements. But because they are completely dark and can’t be observed directly, they’re not easy to study.

    The OJ 287 galaxy hosts one of the largest black holes ever found, with over 18 billion times the mass of our...

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