!A cloud of gas and dust is preparing to light the supermassive black hole in our galaxy
A mysterious object called X7, thought to be a cloud of gas and dust about 50 times the mass of Earth, is on a collision course with the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
Scientists have watched the object closely using the WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii since 2002, and recent observations show that X7 has become significantly elongated due to the black hole's powerful gravitational forces.
Once X7 reaches its closest approach to the black hole around 2036, it will likely be torn apart by the black hole's tidal forces before completing even one orbit.
A massive mysterious object is heading towards the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and is likely to cause the hole to ignite like fireworks.
The strange object, dubbed X7 and thought to be a cloud of gas and dust about 50 times the mass of Earth, has been closely monitored by astronomers using the WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii since 2002. Recent observations have revealed that X7 has become elongated dramatically. Large because of the black hole's powerful gravitational forces, which extend to 3,000 astronomical units or 3,000 times the distance between the Sun and Earth.
Observing the effects of the black hole's tidal forces on X7 gives insight into the physics of the extreme environment of the galactic center, said the study's lead author and research assistant at the University of California, Ana Ciorlo. The origins of X7 are still unknown, but astronomers suggest that it formed as a result of the merger of two stars, which ejected a large cloud of gas that contributed to its formation.
Despite these speculations, one thing is certain for scientists: everything that comes close to a black hole will deal with enormous gravitational forces. As the cloud orbits Sagittarius A every 170 years, it is expected to reach its nearest black hole in 2036. At that point, the cloud will be destroyed by the black hole's powerful tidal forces, as its components are sucked into a vortex moving at speeds of up to 490 miles. per second.
Mark Morris, a co-author of the study and a professor of astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the strong tidal forces exerted by the galactic black hole would eventually tear X7 apart before it had even completed one orbit.
Although the fate of X7 is unfortunate, its eventual demise will cause the black hole to light up like fireworks, providing valuable insights into the workings of supermassive black holes, and the galaxy itself.
Source : websites