supermassive black hole feeding on cold gas and hot gas tagged posts

Deep in the heart of the Abell 2597 Brightest Cluster Galaxy, astronomers see a small cluster of giant gas clouds raining in on the central black hole, as illustrated in this artist concept image. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF; D. Berry/SkyWorks; ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

Findings suggest 2 dining styles for black holes. For the first time, astronomers have detected billowy clouds of cold, clumpy gas streaming toward a black hole, at the center of a massive galaxy cluster. The clouds are traveling at up to 355km/s and may be only 150 light years away from its edge, almost certain to fall into the black hole. The observations represent the first direct evidence to support the hypothesis that black holes feed on clouds of cold gas...