Black hole blasts Galaxy.

[alokmohan]

powerful jet of particles from a "supermassive" black hole has been seen blasting a nearby galaxy, according to findings from the US space agency. <br /><br />Galaxies have been seen colliding before, but it is the first time this form of galactic violence has been witnessed by astronomers. <br /><br />This could have a profound effect on any planets in the jet's path and could also trigger a burst of star formation. <br /><br />The findings are to be published in the Astrophysical Journal. <br /><br />They were obtained using Nasa's space-based Chandra X-ray Observatory, its Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope, as well as the Very Large Array (VLA) and Merlin radio telescopes on the ground. <br /><br /> It is like a black hole bully, punching the nose of a passing galaxy <br /><br />Neil Tyson, Hayden Planetarium <br />The event is occurring in a system called 3C321, which lies 1.4 billion light-years from Earth. It contains two galaxies in orbit around one another which are in the process of merging. <br /><br />Most, if not all, galaxies - including our own Milky Way - are thought to host supermassive black holes at their galactic centres. A handful of these galaxies eject powerful jets from the vicinities of their black holes, and are known as radio galaxies - because jets are very "visible" at radio wavelengths. <br /><br />The larger of the two galaxies in 3C321 - dubbed the "death star galaxy" by the astronomers - has a jet emanating from the vicinity of the black hole at its centre. The unfortunate smaller galaxy has apparently swung into the jet's line of fire. <br /><br />Destructive force <br /><br />A bright spot in some images http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7148671.stm<br />

 

[MeteorWayne]

Duplicate thread.<br /><br />See "Galaxy fires powerful particle beam at neighbour " in Space Science and Astronomy (where this subject belongs anyway) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[telfrow]

Let's lock this one and use the other thread in SS&A. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>