Study: Without more data, a black hole’s origins can be “spun” in any direction
Current measurements of black holes are not enough to nail down how the invisible giants form in the universe, researchers say.
School of Science appoints 10 faculty to named professorships
Those selected for these positions receive additional support to pursue their research and develop their careers.
Mysteriously bright flash is a black hole jet pointing straight toward Earth, astronomers say
The observations could illuminate how supermassive black holes feed and grow.
International team observes innermost structure of quasar jet
New observations show the deepest parts of the quasar's plasma jet in a project led by MIT Haystack Observatory.
Astronomers find a “cataclysmic” pair of stars with the shortest orbit yet
The stars circle each other every 51 minutes, confirming a decades-old prediction.
American Astronomical Society honors seven MIT affiliates with 2022 awards, prizes
Two MIT professors and five alumni recognized for outstanding contributions to astronomy research, education, and communication.
Astronomers snap first-ever image of supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*
The image reveals a glowing, donut-shaped ring at the Milky Way’s heart.
Search reveals eight new sources of black hole echoes
The findings will help scientists trace a black hole’s evolution as it feeds on stellar material.
Physicists embark on a hunt for a long-sought quantum glow
A new approach could make it possible to detect the elusive Unruh effect in hours, rather than billions of years.
Super-bright stellar explosion is likely a dying star giving birth to a black hole or neutron star
The discovery, based on an unusual event dubbed “the Cow,” may offer astronomers a new way to spot infant compact objects.
Neutron star collisions are a “goldmine” of heavy elements, study finds
Mergers between two neutron stars have produced more heavy elements in last 2.5 billion years than mergers between neutron stars and black holes.
Physicists observationally confirm Hawking’s black hole theorem for the first time
Study offers evidence, based on gravitational waves, to show that the total area of a black hole’s event horizon can never decrease.
LIGO and Virgo detect rare mergers of black holes with neutron stars for the first time
In a 3Q, Salvatore Vitale describes how gravitational-wave signals suggest black holes completely devoured their companion neutron stars.
Four MIT faculty members receive 2021 US Department of Energy early career awards
Faculty from the departments of Physics and of Nuclear Science and Engineering faculty were selected for the Early Career Research Program.
Supermassive black holes devour gas just like their petite counterparts
Regardless of size, all black holes experience similar accretion cycles, a new study finds.