The first direct image of a supermassive black hole, found in the galactic core of Messier 87.[1][2] This view is somewhat from above, looking down on one of its galactic jets.[3] Rather than an accretion disc, it shows synchrotron radiation in the microwave range (1.3 mm). This light was emitted by electrons captured in the plasma vortex at the base of a jet.[4] Radiation of this wavelength does not reveal the thermal features thought to dominate the emissions of an accretion disc. The synchrotron radiation is shown after its interaction with the black hole's photon sphere, which generates the ring. The dark central feature indicates the region where no path exists between the event horizon and Earth. The edge of the photon sphere shows an asymmetry in brightness because of Doppler beaming. The image was released in 2019 by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.
^Ghez, A.; Klein, B.; Morris, M.; Becklin, E (1998). "High Proper-Motion Stars in the Vicinity of Sagittarius A*: Evidence for a Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy". The Astrophysical Journal. 509 (2): 678–686. arXiv:astro-ph/9807210. Bibcode:1998ApJ...509..678G. doi:10.1086/306528. S2CID18243528.
^Frank, Juhan; King, Andrew; Raine, Derek J. (January 2002). "Accretion Power in Astrophysics: Third Edition". Accretion Power in Astrophysics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Bibcode:2002apa..book.....F. ISBN0521620538.
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