Hubble telescope finds disc around black hole

[Jim__]

...

The scientists, who observed the quasar disc using the gravitational lensing technique, said this method relies on stars in an intervening galaxy located between the space telescope and the distant black hole magnifying light streaming from the quasar, 'astronomynow.com' reported.

For one quasar, known as HE 1104-1805, the stars in the intervening galaxy passed through the path of the light from the quasar such that they amplified the signals from different parts of the accretion disc, enabling astronomers to construct a colour profile across the disc.

The colours could then be translated into temperatures, since hot matter closest to the black hole emits at bluer wavelengths than material further out.

These temperature readings could then be converted into distance measurements, allowing the astronomers to arrive at an estimate of the diameter of the disc of between four and eleven light-days across, or 100 to 300 billion kilometres.

more ...

[baldguy]

1. All these wonderful discoveries....

Of course that means we should let Hubble crash two yrs from now & do nothing to replace it.

[itsrobert]

2. Black holes are microscopes use by Giant intelligent life

n/t

[customerserviceguy]

3. Is it my missing Star Wars DVD? n/t