Researchers from NASA have discovered an unusual black hole that spins in an unexpected direction relative to its surrounding galaxy. The discovery was made during the analysis of archival data collected by the Chandra telescope.
At the centers of most galaxies we know of are supermassive black holes. They are usually surrounded by accretion disks that spin in the same direction as the galaxy. At least, that’s how it was thought until the case of NGC 5084.
NGC 5084 is a galaxy in the constellation Virgo, located 80 million light-years from Earth. While analyzing archival data from the Chandra telescope, a team of scientists from NASA’s Ames Research Center found four long plumes of plasma (hot, charged gas) coming from the Earth. Ames discovered four long plumes of plasma (hot-charged gas) emanating from NGC 5084. One pair of plumes extends above and below the plane of the galaxy. The second pair, forming an “X” shaped pair with the first, is in the plane of the galaxy.
Plumes of hot gas are not often seen in galaxies, and there are usually only one or two. Therefore, the finding was strong evidence in favor of NGC 5084 containing a supermassive black hole. In a subsequent analysis of the Chandra data, as well as the Chandra radio telescope suite, astronomers discovered something else unusual: a small dust disk orbiting the center of the galaxy. But the most interesting thing is that it is tilted 90 degrees concerning the plane of NGC 5084.
The presence of two pairs of X-ray plumes and a dust disk indicates that in the center of NGC 5084 hides a black hole. At the same time, given the unusual cross-shaped structure of the plumes and the inclination of the dust disk, the researchers could not help but conclude that this black hole is “tipped-over” and rotates, lying on its side.
According to the researchers, the most likely explanation for what happened is that the galaxy was disturbed by some event. The most likely candidate is an interaction with another galaxy. However, what specific mechanism led to such a strange architecture remains a mystery for now. Galaxy collisions are quite common events in the Universe, but before this astronomers have never been able to find “tipped-over” black holes yet.
Earlier we told you about how a black hole in a neighboring galaxy “bombarded” a mysterious object.
Provided by NASA
