First Photo Of A Black Hole Revealed

A-Consensus 041019 — Using the Event Horizon Telescope, scientists obtained an image of the black hole at the center of galaxy M87, outlined by emission from hot gas swirling around it under the influence of strong gravity near its event horizon. Image by Event Horizon Telescope collaboration et al.

ALEXANDRIA, Va – Scientists released the first ever picture of a black hole Wednesday.

National Science Foundation Researchers actually took the photo two years ago. Black Holes are huge amounts of matter compressed into a small area that create a massive gravitational field so strong, it draws in everything around it, even light.

This one is at the center of a galaxy called M-87 and is about 54 million light years away. It was discovered in 1781 by Charles Messier and is in the constellation Virgo.

To get the image, scientists combined the power of eight radio telescopes that are part of the event horizon telescope collaboration.

That involved creating a virtual telescope, which in physical form, would be around the size of Earth. The project’s director said the process allowed them to see what was thought to be unseeable.