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Supermassive black hole powering one of universe’s most stunning galaxies

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A supermassive black hole. (Quantum squid88 via Wikimedia Commons)

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

A supermassive black hole has been detected powering one of the most stunning galaxies in the universe.

The vast black abyss lies 47 million light years from Earth - shrouded by a ring of cosmic dust.

Incredible jets of energy fuel the spectacular city of stars named Messier 77.

Glittering spiral arms emit light at all wavelengths - from gamma rays and X-rays to microwaves and radiowaves.

Known as a Type II Seyfert galaxy, it is particularly bright at infrared wavelengths.

via GIPHY

The black hole, formed by the collapse of a giant star, is 15 million times bigger than our sun.

Its 'event horizon' - from which not even light can escape - is 54 million miles across.

The observations could help explain the evolution of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, known as Sagittarius A.

An international team of astronomers used the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in Chile's Atacama Desert.

A scanner called MATISSE (Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) removes stars from images to reveal their surroundings.

Co-author Professor Walter Jaffe, of Leiden University in The Netherlands, said: "It can see a broad range of infrared wavelengths.

"It lets us see through the dust and accurately measure temperatures. The VLTI is in fact a very large interferometer.

"We have the resolution to see what's going on even in galaxies as far away as Messier 77.

"The images we obtained detail the changes in temperature and absorption of the dust clouds around the black hole."

It also sheds light on 'active galactic nuclei' (AGNs) - key to solving the mystery of the evolution of galaxies.

They are tiny regions at the centre of some galaxies that emit a prodigious amount of energy in abnormally luminous jets.

The study in Nature confirms the 'Unified Model' theory that they always have a supermassive black hole surrounded by a thick ring of dust.

Lead author Violeta Gamez Rosas, a PhD candidate at Leiden, said: "The real nature of the dust clouds and their role in both feeding the black hole and determining how it looks when viewed from Earth have been central questions in AGN studies over the last three decades.

"Whilst no single result will settle all the questions we have, we have taken a major step in understanding how AGNs work."

Messier 77, also known as NGC 1068, is one of the closest active galaxies.

They are among the most energetic and spectacular objects in the universe.

Their nuclei are often bright enough to outshine the whole of the rest of the galaxy.

The impressive luminosity is caused by intense radiation blasting out from a central engine - the accretion disc surrounding the supermassive black hole.

Approaching material is compressed and heated up to incredible temperatures.

Combining the changes from room temperature to 1200 °C pinpointed where the black hole must lie.

The dust in a glowing doughnut-shaped ring with the black hole positioned in the middle supports the Unified Model.

Ms. Rosas said: "Our results should lead to a better understanding of the inner workings of AGNs.

"They could also help us better understand the history of the Milky Way, which harbors a supermassive black hole at its center that may have been active in the past."

Messier 77 lies in the southern sky in the constellation of Cetus - a sea monster in Greek mythology.

Dotted along each arm are knotty clumps - a signal that new stars are forming.

These baby stars shine strongly, ionizing nearby gas which then glows a deep red.

Dusty lanes stretching across appear as a rusty colour due to the absorption of blue light.

Professor Robert Antonucci, a physicist at California University, said: "We can celebrate the fact that Gamez Rosas and colleagues' study is the best proof yet that the unified model is correct."

Prof Antonuucci was not involved in the project - but helped create the unified model.

The researchers are now looking to use ESO's (European Space Observatory's) VLTI to survey a larger sample of galaxies.

Dr. Bruno Lopez, principal investigator at Cote d'Azur Observatory in Nice, added: "Messier 77 is an important prototype AGN and a wonderful motivation to expand our observing program and to optimize MATISSE to tackle a wider sample of AGNs."

ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), set to begin observing later this decade, will also aid the search, providing results that will complement the findings and explore the interaction between AGNs and galaxies.

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