Key takeaways:
- Astronomers may have found the nearest black holes to Earth, possibly located in the Hyades Cluster, just 150 light-years away, which is 10 times closer than previous estimates.
- These black holes might have been ejected from the Hyades millions of years ago, but even if they’re now roaming the galaxy, they remain the closest to our planet.
- Researchers used simulations comparing star movements in the Hyades with real data from the Gaia telescope, finding the best matches when two or three black holes were included.
- The Gaia space telescope, launched in 2013, has been crucial in reshaping astronomy by providing highly precise measurements of star positions and motions, helping scientists detect hidden black holes.
- This research offers insights into how black holes affect the evolution of star clusters and provides clues about how black holes are distributed across the galaxy.
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Black holes in the Hyades cluster may be 10 times closer to Earth than previously known.
Astronomers may have discovered the closest black holes to Earth, located in the Hyades Cluster, just 150 light-years away. This cluster of hundreds of stars, visible in the constellation of Taurus, may contain black holes that were ejected millions of years ago and now roam the galaxy. Despite their wandering nature, these black holes would still be far closer to Earth than the previously closest known black holes.
Simulating Black Holes in the Hyades
A team led by Stefano Torniamenti, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Padua, used simulations to track the movement and evolution of stars within the Hyades Cluster, adding black holes to the equation. The team compared the simulation results with real observations from the Gaia space telescope, which has been mapping the movements and velocities of stars in the Hyades.
Torniamenti’s simulations showed that the mass and size of the cluster only aligned with observations if two or three black holes were present in the center of the Hyades, or had been there until recently. The team also found that simulations in which black holes were ejected from the Hyades around 150 million years ago fit Gaia data well. This means the cluster still bears traces of the black holes’ presence even if they were violently thrown out long ago.
Ejected Black Holes: Still the Closest to Earth
If the black holes were indeed ejected from the Hyades Cluster, they would still be the closest black holes to Earth, according to the simulations. Previously, the black holes Gaia BH1 and Gaia BH2, discovered earlier in 2023, were considered the closest, located 1,560 and 3,800 light-years away, respectively. The potential black holes from the Hyades, however, would be around ten times closer, making them an intriguing subject for further study.
Gaia’s Role in Black Hole Discovery
The Gaia space telescope, launched in 2013, has revolutionized astronomy by providing detailed measurements of the positions and velocities of billions of stars. This precision allows astronomers to detect hidden objects, such as small stellar-mass black holes, by tracking their gravitational effects on surrounding stars. In the case of the Hyades, Gaia’s data was crucial in revealing the presence of these potential nearby black holes.
Researcher Mark Gieles, from the University of Barcelona, highlighted the significance of this discovery, noting that it helps scientists understand how black holes influence the evolution of star clusters. Moreover, these findings offer valuable insights into how black holes are distributed across the galaxy.
In conclusion, the discovery of these potential black holes in the Hyades Cluster marks a significant advancement in our understanding of the universe, with the Gaia telescope continuing to play a key role in identifying and tracking these mysterious cosmic objects.
The team’s research was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.