NASA satellites, including the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), have been used to study the prevalence of hidden supermassive black holes in galaxies. Analysis suggests that a significant portion of these black holes are obscured by surrounding dust and gas, impacting our understanding of their growth rates and influence on galaxy evolution.
, the majority of which are probably so bloated with the bodies of consumed stars they've sunk to a spot where matter swirls about them like floodwaters around an open drain.accelerates to mindblowing speedsSeen from above or below, supermassive black holes stand out to our telescopes as donuts shining in X-rays. From the edge, however, dust and gas on the very fringes of the glowing torus hides the light, restricting our view of the galaxy's blazing nucleus.
Artist's impression of a supermassive black hole surrounded by gas and dust in four different wavelengths of light. Visible light and low-energy X-rays are blocked by the gas and dust; infrared is scattered and reemitted; and some high-energy X-rays can penetrate the torus. Now researchers have put another NASA satellite to work on the problem. Called the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array,
"It amazes me how useful IRAS and NuSTAR were for this project, especially despite IRAS being operational over 40 years ago,""I think it shows the legacy value of telescope archives and the benefit of using multiple instruments and wavelengths of light together."
SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES DUST GAS GALAXY EVOLUTION X-RAY OBSERVATORY
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