Astronomers discovered the first "black hole triple system" | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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    Astronomers discovered the first "black hole triple system"

    Posted 04 Nov 2024

    2 min read

    Binary black hole systems often pair a black hole with either a star, neutron star, or another black hole, orbiting each other due to gravitational attraction.

    • However, V404 Cygni system, initially believed to be a binary black hole system, was discovered to be a triple system.

    About V404 Cygni system

    • It holds a central black hole in the act of consuming a small star that’s spiralling in very close to the black hole (every 6.5 days).
    • The new discovery found, a 2nd star orbiting the black hole at a vast distance, completing one orbit every 70,000 years. (making it a triple system).
    • The system V404 Cygni is located within the Milky Way and around 8,000 light-years from Earth.

    Significance of the New Discovery

    • Debunks Supernova explosion: The distant star's presence challenges traditional black hole formation theory, as supernova explosions should have expelled loosely-bound objects from its vicinity.
      • Supernova: Is a massive explosion that occurs when a star runs out of fuel and collapses
    • Direct collapse: Scientists suggest this black hole is formed through "direct collapse," where a star quietly implodes, allowing distant objects to maintain their orbital connections.

    About Black hole

    • Black hole is a cosmic body of extremely intense gravity.
    • A black hole’s “surface,” called its event horizon, defines the boundary where the velocity needed to escape exceeds the speed of light.
    • In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) captured an image of a black hole for the first time.
    • The supermassive black hole is located at the heart of a galaxy called M87, located about 55 million light-years away.
    • Tags :
    • Black Hole Triple
    • V404 Cygni system
    • Supernova
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