Scientists Measure Black Hole Jets Emitting Energy Equivalent to 10,000 Suns
Scientists have successfully quantified the energy output of the first black hole ever discovered, Cygnus X-1, which is located approximately 7,000 light-years from Earth. This black hole, part of a binary system with a companion star, emits jets that shine as brightly as 10,000 suns and travel at half the speed of light. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, highlights the jets as some of the most energetic phenomena in the cosmos. The research team, led by Steve Prabu from the University of Oxford, utilized radio telescopes worldwide to measure the jets' energy output, revealing that about 10% of the energy released as matter falls towards the black hole is carried away by these jets.