{"id":793769,"date":"2025-02-20T20:06:08","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T01:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=793769"},"modified":"2025-02-20T20:06:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T01:06:08","slug":"whats-behind-black-hole-fireworks-according-to-scientists-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=793769","title":{"rendered":"What’s behind black hole ‘fireworks,’ according to scientists : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n This artist’s concept shows Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, surrounded by a swirling accretion disk of hot gas. Flaring hot spots that resemble solar flares are seen in the disk.
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NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)\/NASA.gov<\/p>\n

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NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)\/NASA.gov<\/p>\n

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A supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy is creating a light show that’s intriguing astronomers. <\/p>\n

Flares of light have been observed in a disk orbiting the black hole Sagittarius A*, according to a team of astrophysicists studying the black hole who published their findings Tuesday in <\/u>The Astrophysical Journal Letters<\/em>. Known as an accretion disk, it’s hot, contains a steady flow of materials like gas or plasma, and flickers constantly. The disks emit light that can be detected using infrared and X-ray instruments, which helps astronomers better observe the black holes the disks orbit. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n