Hubble image archive

Simulation of Black Hole Flare

This computer-simulated image shows gas from a tidally shredded star falling into a black hole. Some of the gas also is being ejected at high speeds into space. Astronomers observed a flare in ultraviolet and optical light from the gas falling into the black hole and glowing heli...

Date
Jan 1, 2012
Mission
Hubble Space Telescope
Archive ID
hubblesite-images-2012-18-3017-image
By

This computer-simulated image shows gas from a tidally shredded star falling into a black hole. Some of the gas also is being ejected at high speeds into space. Astronomers observed a flare in ultraviolet and optical light from the gas falling into the black hole and glowing helium from the stars's helium-rich gas expelled from the system.

Credits

NASA, S. Gezari (The Johns Hopkins University), and J. Guillochon (University of California, Santa Cruz)

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Source

Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.

View on NASA.gov

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