Sunday, February 9, 2025
AstronomyScience&Enviornment

Astronomers discover unique triple system with black hole formed by gentle collapse

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have identified a black hole that challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding its formation. Traditionally, black holes are believed to arise from the explosive deaths of massive stars during supernova events. However, recent observations reveal that some black holes, including one in the constellation Cygnus, may be born through a gentler process.

Located approximately 7,800 light-years from Earth, this black hole, known as V404 Cygni, was initially thought to orbit a single companion star. New data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia space observatory has shown that it is actually part of a triple system, consisting of two stars and the black hole.

The black hole, estimated to be nine times the mass of the Sun, is currently in the process of consuming one of its companions—a star roughly 0.7 times the mass of the Sun. This star orbits the black hole every 6.5 days, at a distance significantly closer than the distance between Earth and the Sun.

Interestingly, the system also includes another star about 1.2 times the mass of the Sun, which orbits the black hole and its companion at a much greater distance, taking approximately 70,000 years to complete a single orbit.

Researchers suspect that V404 Cygni may have formed through a process termed “direct collapse,” where the star’s core collapses under its own gravity without the typical explosive supernova event. This hypothesis is supported by the stability of the triple system; if the black hole had formed through an explosive supernova, the violent ejection of material would likely have disrupted the system.

Lead author Kevin Burdge from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explained, “We call these events a ‘failed supernova.’ The gravitational collapse occurs so rapidly that there’s no explosion, resulting in a quiet implosion.”

The formation of this triple system is believed to date back about 4 billion years, originating as three ordinary stars before the unique conditions led to the black hole’s creation.

This discovery not only sheds light on the diverse pathways of black hole formation but also suggests that many known binary systems with a black hole and a single star may have originally evolved from similar triple systems, with the black hole gradually consuming one partner over time.

Co-author Kareem El-Badry from Caltech emphasized the significance of this finding: “This discovery provides direct evidence supporting the theory that black hole binaries could primarily form through triple evolution.”

As researchers continue to study V404 Cygni, this unique system may unlock further insights into the life cycles of stars and the enigmatic nature of black holes.

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