Black Holes

Black Holes

Current reporting on the mass monsters in the universe and in the centre of our Milky Way

Black holes do not consist of matter, although they have a large mass. Therefore, until recently, they could not be observed directly, but only through the effect of their gravity on the environment: They bend space and time and have an almost irresistible attraction. The history of these exotic objects is long, as the first ideas about them appeared more than 230 years ago. But it was only in more recent times that the study of black holes really took off. In addition to amazing measurements in the center of our Milky Way, which were rewarded with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for Andrea Ghez of the University of California and Reinhard Genzel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, the Event Horizon Telescope plays an important role: The worldwide network of several radio observatories succeeded in obtaining unique images of these cosmic gravity traps.

Two adjacent and slightly overlapping circles, left with diffuse orange-brownish structures, right with scattered white dots

First eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources more

Magnetic launching of black hole jets in Perseus A

First observations of the radio galaxy Perseus A with the Event Horizon Telescope more

Reddish vortex seen from from the side above with a bright centre and a thin ray protruding vertically from the plane

Black hole at the centre of a galaxy in the early universe received less mass influx than expected more

Black hole with bright companion star in the midst of other stars

Data from the MeerKAT radio telescope reveal an object at the boundary between a black hole and a neutron star more

Two diffuse orange-white glowing rings against a black background

Improved observations one year after the discovery image confirm the ring of light around the black hole M87* and allow new conclusions to be drawn about the physical processes involved more

Einstein Probe research satellite successfully launched

New space telescope sets out in search of extreme astrophysical X-ray sources more

Glowing red swirling solar surface with gas ejections against a black background

A thought experiment investigates what would happen if a tiny primordial black hole were to sit at the center of the sun more

Observation of multiple ringdown modes in a black hole merger more

A computer simulation of a disk of plasma around the supermassive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. A new analysis of the circularly polarized, or spiraling light, in EHT observations shows that magnetic fields near the black hole are strong. These magnetic fields push back on infalling matter and help launch jets of matter at velocities near the speed of light out.

New measurements from the Event Horizon Telescope confirm strong magnetic fields around supermassive black hole at the centre of galaxy M87 more

Black hole bends the light of the Milky Way band behind it. In the foreground, a few different coloured compass needles are distributed along an elliptical path around the black hole.

New insights into the supermassive black hole and its surroundings at the centre of the Milky Way more

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Two adjacent and slightly overlapping circles, left with diffuse orange-brownish structures, right with scattered white dots

First eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources more

Reddish vortex seen from from the side above with a bright centre and a thin ray protruding vertically from the plane

Black hole at the centre of a galaxy in the early universe received less mass influx than expected more

Black hole with bright companion star in the midst of other stars

Data from the MeerKAT radio telescope reveal an object at the boundary between a black hole and a neutron star more

Einstein Probe research satellite successfully launched

New space telescope sets out in search of extreme astrophysical X-ray sources more

Glowing red swirling solar surface with gas ejections against a black background

A thought experiment investigates what would happen if a tiny primordial black hole were to sit at the center of the sun more

Artist's impression of the measurement of the gravitational wave background using pulsars distributed in the Milky Way.

Precise as a clock: pulsars in the Milky Way form large-scale observatory for gravitational waves more

Purple disc with rays emanating vertically upwards and downwards from the disc

New observations reveal how a powerful jet forms around a black hole more

The picture consists of two square images. On the left are numerous orange spots of different sizes and brightness. On the right is a zoom into the brightest and largest of these spots. There, against the background of many stars, a reddish disc orbits a black sphere lying in the centre. From the surroundings of the black sphere, a violet ray is formed that is directed upwards.

Large-scale observational campaign provides new insights into an assumed black hole binary at the centre of the active galaxy OJ 287 more

Deepest look yet into the heart of a quasar

International team observes innermost structure of quasar 3C 273 more

Composition of several individual images. Background: many bright stars and dark clouds; foreground image 1: section with bright star in the centre and other less bright stars around it; foreground image 2: a thin, white ellipse against a black background and a bright dot is on the ellipse; foreground image 3: a dark, almost circular object surrounded by a distorted bright ring.

The finding promises numerous similar discoveries more

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“A wonderful confirmation of our observations”

Reinhard Genzel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics on the first image of the galactic centre more

The nebula with the dark band

The active galaxy Centaurus A has made history in radio astronomy more

Scientific highlights 2020

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2020 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 13 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

The mystery of the dark bodies

The idea that black holes exist dates back to the 18th century more

The backbone of the night

Like a huge spiral, the Milky Way floats in space more

“The galactic centre offers fantastic opportunities”

Interview with Reinhard Genzel on his observation of an effect of the general theory of relativity more

Gravitational waves from merging neutron stars

This cosmic event was also observed in visible light and provides an explanation for gamma-ray bursts more

Three-detector observation of gravitational waves

The cosmic ripples were not only observed by the two Ligo observatories in the USA, but also the Italian detector Virgo more

Gravitational waves spotted for the third time

LIGO observes a signal, which was once again discovered at the Albert Einstein Institute in Hannover more

Twin jets pinpoint the heart of an active galaxy

Twin jets pinpoint the heart of an active galaxy more

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The supermassive giant at the heart of the Milky Way | Interview with Prof. Reinhard Genzel

Interview with Reinhard Genzel, director at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and architect of the 30-year programme that led to the discovery of the Schwarzschild precession around the black hole at the heart of our Milky Way. Genzel describes the general relativity effect observed by his team and how it can be used to study the galactic gravity trap.Reinhard Genzel receives the Nobel Prize for Physics 2020
Digital Story: Reinhard Genzel more

Astrophysics: The cosmos quakes - gravitational waves

Albert Einstein predicted their existence in the last century, but thought it would be impossible to discover them. Astronomers are now looking for them, nevertheless: gravitational waves. more

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