Earlier this week the news began reporting on an article released in the journal Nature. It seems that astronomers noticed something very strange happening around a massive black hole 4.5 billion light-years away in the constellation Draco. NASA’s Swift Observatory captured a massive release of radiation streaming from Draco’s black hole. Instead of an expected brief flash, however, this radiation stream which seemed to be coming from the black hole was intense and kept going, and going, and going. The transformation of silent, massive black hole to screaming, massive black hole can only be explained by the black hole eating something gargantuan…something like a star. Scientists believe we’re actually watching a black hole devour a star piece by piece in real time – real time in this case means this star actually met its end around 4.5 billion years ago and we’re just seeing it now.
Another pretty remarkable thing happened around 4.5 billion years ago and 4.5 billion light-years away: a tiny rock formed from nebula dust. Some pretty amazing things have happened on that rock since, not the least of which is a bunch of bipedal, nearly hairless primates figured out a way to send something called the Swift Observatory into orbit around their home. They accomplished this in time for it to catch a glimpse of energy waves that began a journey across the universe just as their own world was forming. Across the vastness of space a star is slowly destroyed and a new world is slowly formed–two events occurring independently but now forever linked because a fragile little species lifted their eyes from the earth and wondered.
26 Comments
I love your brain. And your eye. That is all.
Amazing Chris…enjoying your photos and your blogs.
What a beautiful post and story…and wonderful lesson in science. Perfect pairing of word and image!!
Love the contrast!
Your posts always give me pause to think Christopher.
wonderfull natural black hole Christopher. Sometime i watch the images from Hubble, realy breathtaking.
your post is really interesting, show how we are infinitly little in front at history that preceded us, you have a photo really significant to tell this, wonderful and impressive, compliments my friend
Great post Chris. And what is that image?
There’s nothing like pondering space and the universe that reminds us of how small we are in the greater scheme of things.
lovely capture!
Your photographic version of the black hole is simply spectacular! The graphic effect is superb. Congratulations, Christopher.
This is a WOW image Chris,
Beautiful…..
Truely remarkable Chris. Brilliant post linking these two amazing cosmic events, illustrated by another of your stellar images. Your work continues its thought provoking, visually engaging trend, this time probing a subject that has always fascinated me, the mind boggling workings of the universe. It is awe-inspiring to think as I write this comment, a new star system is in the process of creation, with all its potential for the development intelligent life.
Great effect and i must say, i love this red, so vivid !
cool shot, i won’t write down what it reminds me of
Like inside our heart, what a strong red fan like a muscle !
Very cool shot, best abstract!
Waw!!!
The photo is intriguing to be sure, and it’s very fitting for your story. We live in an amazing universe–and it IS mind-boggling.
Good work, Chris.
intriguing scientific find. you’ve paired a splendid image with your words. feels very much like being sucked up into a hole.
Well done Chris – captivating words and a blooming clever image.
Cool post Chris and a terrific abstract image. I’m still puzzled.
loved the way how the lines draw the eyes towards the bottom!
Your work (both image and words) always inspire me!
Very nice work. I love your writing!
fascinating abstract!
cool abstract!