When a Black Hole Not a typical Black Hole ?
January 18th 2011 04:52
Category: Cosmic Objects
Radio Source Cygnus X-1
Since its invention in 1931 the radio telescope has opened up new frontiers far beyond the visual limitations of the ordinary telescope. The cosmos if full of radio sources like Cygnus X-1.
Thanks to the radio telescope we now have a better understanding of our universe. The radio telescope has revealed details of a cosmos teeming with powerful objects like black holes and pulsars that don't show up through the eyepiece of a conventional optical telescope.
Cygnus X-1 has been known to be a very active source of Cosmic Rays Some 40 odd years after it’s discovery it still a bit of mystery, Cygnus X-1 is not a typical Black Hole. Cygnus X-1 is a black hole with a mass about 10 times that of the Sun in a close orbit with a blue supergiant star with a mass of about 20 Suns.
Cygnus X-1 is a well known radio source producing Cosmic and X-Rays. Cygnus X-1 is located in the Constellation Cygnus the Swan.
Cosmic rays are energetic particles originating from outer space and can interact with the Earth's atmosphere. Generally Cosmic Rays and not harmful to Humans at ground level but can be lethal to unprotected astronauts.
The radio telescope has opened up new frontiers far beyond the visual limitations of the ordinary telescope.
We know that Cygnus emits Cosmic and X-Rays and yet it can actually be detected. But its status is that of a black Hole. We cannot observe Black Holes directly but we can measure their effect on the surrounding stars, Black there are so powerful that light cannot escape.
How is this possible? We can’t actually “see” a Black Hole but we know they exist.
A Black Hole can be many times larger than our sun. It’s gravitational force can distort space and time but we can see the effects that a black hole can have on nearby stars.
Cygnus X-1 is a Black Hole with a difference it has a companion Star HDE 226868 in close proximity. We can detect material streaming from the companion to the black hole thus causing the strong source of Cosmic and X-Ray to be emitted.
After 4 decades Cygnus X-1 continues to provides us with information on how black holes and Supergiant stars interact.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by CarlCan
Astroearth
Camera Sense
Hi S.L.
Yes Black holes are remnants of exploding stars.
Not all exploding star form black holes
Matter from the nearby star is being used by the black hole.
But the star because of its size keeps the black hole in check , in other words because of the star’s influence the black hole is not as big as it could be.