A huge black hole discovered near our galaxy

The Leo I black hole, at the heart of a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way, was recently discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Texas, reports

.

According to the analyzes carried out, it would be much more massive than expected.

The object would indeed concentrate around 3.3 million solar masses, almost as many as the black hole located at the center of our galaxy.

The mass of a black hole being proportional to its size, Leo I would be particularly large compared to the dwarf galaxy that hosts it.

"You have a very small galaxy which is falling in the Milky Way, and its black hole is almost as massive as that of the Milky Way", thus summarized the astronomer Karl Gebhardt, co-author of the study published in

.

Three upcoming European space missions

This discovery therefore calls into question the relationship, which was thought to be proportional, between the size of a galaxy and that of the black hole located at its center, says

, who relays the information.

In the coming years, three European space missions will focus on these still mysterious objects.

From 2022, Euclid will be launched, which will focus on the study of dark matter and dark energy.

Should follow the missions Athena and Lisa, which will study the growth process of a black hole and its role in the formation of the universe.

Science

Gravitational waves: How do black holes produce their "silent songs"

Planet

Meteorite: How to distinguish it from the shooting star?

• Galaxy

• Astronomy

• Black hole

• Space

• Science

• 0 comment

• 0 share

  • Share on Messenger

  • Share on Facebook

  • Share on twitter

  • Share on Flipboard

  • Share on Pinterest

  • Share on Linkedin

  • Send by Mail

• To safeguard

• A fault ?

• To print