Astronomers discover black hole ripping a star apart inside a galactic collision. 'It is a peculiar event'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Astronomers have taken a detailed look at a rare and incredibly violent cosmic event resulting from an unfortunate star venturing too close to a supermassive black hole. The team behind the research hopes it could reveal more about how such events, dubbed "tidal disruption events" or "TDEs," influence the evolution of their host galaxies.These brutal battles between stellar bodies and the immense gravity of black holes with masses millions or even billions of times that of the sun result in stars being shredded and fed to the black holes. This cosmic cannibalism causes blasts of light that can outshine the combined light of every star in the host galaxy of the TDE, alerting scientists to a gory stellar death.
This particular TDE has been designated AT 2022wtn, and occurred in a galaxy located around 700 million light-years away. This galaxy is in the early stages of merging with one of its galactic neighbors.
The galaxy that hosts the TDE is known as SDSSJ232323.79+104107.7, and it is the smaller of the two colliding galaxies. The other galaxy mixed up in this merger is at least ten times larger than SDSSJ232323.79+104107.7.
It is thought that the two galaxies in this merging system have already made a close pass to one other.
This represents just the second time that a TDE has been detected in interacting galaxies. That's despite a prevailing theory that the early stages of mergers create the kind of conditions that favor these brutal occurrences.
AT 2022wtn was first brought to the attention of astronomers at the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), with further investigation in wavelengths of light ranging from radio to infrared and even X-rays, which revealed its nature as a TDE. The astronomers were able to determine that the black hole involved in this TDE has a mass equal to around 1 million suns, while its stellar meal is a low-mass star.
However, despite clearly presenting itself as an example of a supermassive black hole ripping apart a star, there are some unusual aspects of AT 2022wtn that set it apart from other TDEs. "It is a peculiar event. Its light curve is characterized by a plateau in the phase of maximum brightness, lasting about 30 days, accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature and a spectral sequence that shows the development of two emission lines corresponding to the wavelengths of helium and nitrogen," team leader and National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) Francesca Onori said in a statement. "Something that we had never observed with such clarity."
Like all TDEs, AT 2022wtn would have begun when a doomed star's orbit brought it too close to the central supermassive black hole at the heart of its host galaxy.
This results in the immense gravitational influence of the black hole generating immense tidal forces within the star. These forces squash the star horizontally while stretching it vertically, a process colorfully known as "spaghettification."Some of the resulting stellar wreckage winds around the destructive supermassive black hole like actual spaghetti around a fork, forming a whirling flattened cloud of plasma called an accretion disk.
Not all of the material from the wrecked star falls around the black hole and eventually into its maw, however. A great deal of stellar matter is blasted out as powerful, high-speed outflows or jets.
In the case of AT 2022wtn, these outflows created a short, bright radio emission from the TDE and extreme changes in the velocity of light-emitting elements around the event.This also indicated that the star was completely destroyed as a result of this TDE and that, in addition to an accretion disk, the cosmic cannibalistic event created an expanding spherical "bubble" of expelled gas.
Related Stories:
— Black hole announces itself to astronomers by violently ripping apart a star
— Massive star's gory 'death by black hole' is the biggest and brightest event of its kind
— Star escapes ravenous supermassive black hole, leaving behind its stellar partner
"We found clear traces of the dynamics of the surrounding material also in some emission lines which show characteristics compatible with a fast propagation towards the outside," Onori said. "Thanks to our monitoring campaign, we were able to propose an interpretation of the origin of the observed radiation: AT2022wtn gave rise to a rapid formation of the disk around the black hole and the subsequent expulsion of part of the stellar matter. "This result is particularly relevant, since the source of visible light and the physical conditions of the region from which it comes, in TDEs, are still under study."The team's research was published on May 23 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
I use these 3 ChatGPT prompts to work smarter and stay competitive — here's how
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you've been following the news, you've probably seen it: AI-driven layoffs are on the rise. From newsroom cuts to tech giants automating tasks once handled by entire teams, AI is getting smarter and changing the job market faster than anyone expected. Whether you're trying to protect your current job or looking for your next role, the uncertainty is real. Even though I test AI tools for a living, I found myself asking: Could AI replace me, too? That's when I tried a simple exercise with ChatGPT — using just a few prompts to assess my career risk and figure out how to stay ahead of AI. Here's exactly how you can do the same. Start by copying and pasting your current resume into ChatGPT (or your preferred chatbot). You can also upload it directly, just be sure you have removed all personal, confidential or sensitive information first. If you don't have a formal resume handy, you could use ChatGPT to write one, or you can also provide a summary of your current role, responsibilities, and major skills. Once you've shared your background, type this prompt:"Based on my resume and skills, how soon will AI take my job?" You might be surprised by the response. AI can provide a candid, and often eye-opening, assessment of how vulnerable your role is to automation — and which aspects of your job are still uniquely human. It may flag parts of your skill set that are becoming less valuable in the current market. But, it may also give you reassurance based on your skills and ability to adapt. This is also a good time to enter the description of a job you're hoping to land in the next few years. Will it even exist? Next, follow up with this prompt: "What skills do I need to learn to pivot and future-proof my career?" The chatbot will typically generate a list of in-demand skills that can help you adapt, pivot to more secure roles or even transition into entirely new career paths. These often include areas where human expertise still has an edge — think creativity, emotional intelligence, leadership, strategy, problem-solving and relationship-building. Based on what the chatbot told you, go ahead and take your prompting a step further by asking ChatGPT: "What's the best way for me to start learning these skills?" In seconds, you'll get suggestions for online courses, certifications, books, podcasts and communities that can help you upskill — often tailored to your current industry or experience level. This quick exercise won't eliminate the risks of an AI-driven job market, but it will give you clarity and maybe even peace of mind as you discover new ways to use your skills. These prompts turn an overwhelming question (will AI take my job?) into an actionable plan. More importantly, it serves as a wake-up call: never stop learning. There are numerous ways you can elevate your human skillset and even develop skills to use AI to do your job better. The best way to stay relevant is to continuously evolve your skills and, where possible, double down on the human qualities AI can't easily replicate. That's your edge in an AI-powered ChatGPT the tough questions is a habit I now recommend to anyone, in any industry. I use the 'blank line' prompt every day now in ChatGPT — here's why Google just launched 'Search Live' — here's why you'll want to try it Midjourney video generation is here — but there's a problem holding it back
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
I replaced my notes app with ChatGPT — here's how it upgraded my productivity
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Like most people, I used to rely on my phone's built-in notes app for everything: grocery lists, lists for the kids, random reminders and half-finished ideas. This resulted in something that felt like a cluttered digital junk drawer filled with hundreds of notes. Many titled 'List,' 'Another list' or simply untiled and left to the default 'New list.' But when ChatGPT rolled out memory and the latest Projects upgrade, I decided to test a new approach and completely replaced my notes app with ChatGPT. The hope was that AI could help me stay more organized After a few weeks of testing, here's what I've learned and, how I now use ChatGPT to manage everything from errands to creative projects. The first thing I noticed: ChatGPT is great at capturing messy thoughts; no formatting or full sentences required. I can simply say: 'Remind me to buy a birthday gift for Sarah — she likes gardening.' 'Save this idea: a story about AI gone wrong.' 'Remember this packing list for my trip: sneakers, umbrella, AirPods.' Instead of dozens of disconnected notes, ChatGPT stores everything in context, and remembers related details when I need them. The Projects feature is key. Instead of one giant 'Vacation' note, I now have actual projects where I can upload documents, add ideas and chat with ChatGPT to refine plans: Travel project: flight details, hotel info, sightseeing ideas Work project: article pitches, interview notes, outlines Meal planning: recipes to try, weekly grocery lists Since ChatGPT remembers previous conversations, I can jump back into any project and it picks up right where we left off; unlike my old notes app, which always felt disconnected. While ChatGPT doesn't yet sync with my calendar, it's surprisingly useful for soft reminders and planning my day. For example: 'Help me organize my afternoon — I need to finish an article draft, pick up groceries and schedule a dentist appointment.' ChatGPT will break the list down by priority and suggest when to tackle each task. I can even set a reminder within ChatGPT Tasks. Sometimes that gentle nudge is exactly what I need to stay focused. Here's what surprised me most: I actually take fewer notes now, but better ones. Quality over quantity, because instead of dumping every stray thought into a note, I now have interactive conversations with ChatGPT that help clarify what I really need. It's a smarter, more thoughtful way to process information, and much easier to search later. Besides staying more organized, it's also helped me check off more on each of my lists. I've started and completed more projects now that they are organized efficiently. Can ChatGPT fully replace my notes app? For quick reminders, brainstorming and project planning — absolutely. For calendar events and time-sensitive alerts? Not quite yet. But for the first time in years, I feel far more organized, and my thoughts feel less chaotic. I'm spending more time acting on ideas instead of digging through random lists, which feels like a big win. Worried AI could take your job? Try these 3 ChatGPT prompts ChatGPT Record just launched for Pro users — here's why free users could get it next Google just launched 'Search Live' — here's why you'll want to try it
Bloomberg
20 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Regime Change Could Make Iran Even More Confrontational
Welcome back to The Forecast from Bloomberg Weekend, where we help you think about the future — from next week to next decade. We've tweaked our format just a tad! Let us know what you think by emailing: weekend@
