APOD: Two Black Holes Dancing in 3C 75 (2014 Sep 28)

[APOD Robot]

Two Black Holes Dancing in 3C 75

Explanation: What's happening at the center of active galaxy 3C 75? The two bright sources at the center of this composite x-ray (blue)/ radio (pink) image are co-orbiting supermassive black holes powering the giant radio source 3C 75. Surrounded by multimillion degree x-ray emitting gas, and blasting out jets of relativistic particles the supermassive black holes are separated by 25,000 light-years. At the cores of two merging galaxies in the Abell 400 galaxy cluster they are some 300 million light-years away. Astronomers conclude that these two supermassive black holes are bound together by gravity in a binary system in part because the jets' consistent swept back appearance is most likely due to their common motion as they speed through the hot cluster gas at 1200 kilometers per second. Such spectacular cosmic mergers are thought to be common in crowded galaxy cluster environments in the distant universe. In their final stages the mergers are expected to be intense sources of gravitational waves.

<< Previous APOD

This Day in APOD

Next APOD >>

[/b]

[ta152h0]

I think I see three pink blob, maybe a fourth smaller one off to the right. Two spectators perhaps ?

[Boomer12k]

Amazing...

Dance of the Black Holes...swirling spheres of gravitational destruction. The Dance of Death...

And so very hot.

However...I don't seem to be able to find an OPTICAL view of the galaxies.....every place seems to be radio or x-ray...

:---[===] *

[Czerno o]

Amazing as well as awe inspiring !
For my edification, what (approx.) are angular resolutions
attained in these pictures in radio and x-rays, respectively ?
What are the current best resolutions at those wave lengths,
from Earth-based and resp., orbiting instruments ? For adequate
resolution in radiowaves, is the use of interferometric techniques implied ?
Please ! And thank you...

[Chris Peterson]

Dance of the Black Holes...swirling spheres of gravitational destruction. The Dance of Death...

What destruction? What death? There is only change. If these objects one day merge, they will simply become one.

[gwrede]

This exact picture and text were APOD on March 14 2010.

Have you joined the recycling crowd, or do you think people have a short memory?

Or are you saving on editorial costs?

[geckzilla]

This exact picture and text were APOD on March 14 2010.

Have you joined the recycling crowd, or do you think people have a short memory?

Or are you saving on editorial costs?

It's Sunday. Chances of a recycled APOD on the weekend are high. And it's not about anyone having a short memory. Not everyone catches an APOD on its first publication.

[ta152h0]

chances of recycled comments are good too. But I know what a roll cloud is now.

[geckzilla]

Indeed. How many times have I had to explain the repeat APODs on weekends? Sometimes I wonder why I bother, especially with the angry, privileged sounding ones.

[BDanielMayfield]

chances of recycled comments are good too. But I know what a roll cloud is now.

Indeed. How many times have I had to explain the repeat APODs on weekends? Sometimes I wonder why I bother, especially with the angry, privileged sounding ones.

You should hit 'em with a recycled explainaton comment then.

[geckzilla]

I should, but I've long lost the link to the post RJN originally made regarding them and it's easier to spend a few seconds typing a quick post than it is to dig it up.

[owlice]

Indeed. How many times have I had to explain the repeat APODs on weekends? Sometimes I wonder why I bother, especially with the angry, privileged sounding ones.

... who apparently are noticing a repeat for the first time though it has been going on for years, and who clearly have not read -- or at least not remembered -- the information about APOD and the FAQ even though this information has also been available for years at just a click away from the home APOD page.

[objetivonocturno]

Amazing!!!

[BMAONE23]

Indeed. How many times have I had to explain the repeat APODs on weekends? Sometimes I wonder why I bother, especially with the angry, privileged sounding ones.

Perhaps the Sunday Captions should indicate that "This Sunday Revisited APOD was last seen on YYYY/MM/DD" as an ending tag line in the descriptions.???

[ThePiper]

.
(To all the English teachers: Sorry, English is neither my first nor my second language. But I like it...

What happens if two SMBHs are approaching/merging? Are there mass transfers in advance?
I think the mass-density and gravity of the BHs cores are infinite - so how could a mass-flow between the dancers occur?

Is the merger of two BHs a silent - or a spectacular, "loud" and violent process?

What would Hubble (HST) see, if it happens?

Thanks!

[geckzilla]

Is the merger of two BHs a silent - or a spectacular, "loud" and violent process?

It's hard to think of a more violent event, assuming you mean the massive black holes and not the hypothetical itty bitty singularities. The more massive the two colliding masses are, the more violent it gets.