Scientists Detect a Black Hole Swallowing a Neutron Star

Black hole swallowing a neutron star.
Artist’s depiction of a black hole about to swallow a neutron star. (Image: Carl Knox via OzGrav ARC Centre of Excellence)

Scientists, including from The Australian National University (ANU), say they have detected a black hole swallowing a neutron star for the first time. These are the super-dense remains of dead stars.

On Wednesday 14 August 2019, gravitational-wave discovery machines in the United States and Italy detected ripples in space and time from a cataclysmic event that happened about 8,550 million trillion kilometers away from Earth.

Professor Susan Scott, from the ANU Research School of Physics, said the achievement completed the team’s trifecta of observations on their original wish list, which included the merger of two black holes and the collision of two neutron stars.

Professor Susan Scot in her lab at ANU.
Professor Susan Scott, from the ANU Research School of Physics, said the achievement completed the team’s trifecta of observations on their original wish list. (Image: Susan Scott via Campus Review)

Professor Scott, leader of the General Relativity Theory and Data Analysis Group at ANU and a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav), said:

Black hole envelops neutron star

Scientists are still analyzing the data to confirm the exact size of the two objects, but initial findings indicate the very strong likelihood of a black hole enveloping a neutron star. The final results are expected to be published in Scientific Journals.

Artist rendering of a neutron star merging with a black hole.
Scientists are still analyzing the data to confirm the exact size of the two objects, but initial findings indicate the very strong likelihood of a black hole enveloping a neutron star. (Image: Soheb Mandhai via LIGO-India)

 

Professor Scott said:

ANU plays a lead role in Australia’s partnership with the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), which is the most sensitive scientific instrument ever built and comprises twin detectors in the U.S.

The European Gravitational Observatory has a gravitational-wave detector in Italy called Virgo.

Provided by: Australian National University [Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.]

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