Untitled Document
 Astronomers
have noticed a change in a galaxy located 43 million light years from
Earth. ‘NGC 4151’ is one of the closer galaxies to our planet. It
is actively growing a super massive black hole. It has been given
the nickname the “Eye of Sauron” after the evil character in The Lord
of the Rings반지의 제왕 series. Telescopes were able to snap shots of the
galaxy, and it showed gas interacting with the center of the black
hole.
The center, which looks like the pupil of an eye, is white and glows
in blue. The glowing blue color is created by X-rays. X-rays help
scientists understand how black holes interact with gasses. Hydrogen
surrounds the pupil, emitting a red color. Yellow spots can also be
seen along the circumference. These yellow spots are areas where stars
have recently started forming.
X-ray emissions from NGC 4151 was first spotted in 1970. Scientists
have proposed two different theories to explain the X-rays. The first
theory explains how the black hole grew the quickest about 25,000
years ago and the radiation from the matter falling into the black
hole caused the X-rays by rearranging its molecules. The second theory
states that energy released by the matter coming in contact with the
black hole created hot gas that emitted X-ray suitable temperatures.
NGC 4151 was discovered by Frederick William Herschel on March 17,
1787. |
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