The recently captured image of the first black hole has provided compelling evidence that black holes spin. A team of international scientists led by Dr. Cui Yuzhu analyzed more than two decades of observational data from over 20 telescopes around the world. They discovered that the black hole at the center of galaxy M87, which is 6.5 billion times the mass of our sun, exhibits an oscillating jet that swings every 11 years. This confirms that the black hole is indeed spinning.
Black holes have a gravitational pull that attracts and engulfs large amounts of gas and dust. Some of the particles that don’t fall into the black hole are ejected and travel close to the speed of light, forming narrow beams known as jets. The observations from the telescopes reveal that M87’s jet oscillates by 10 degrees in an 11-year cycle, aligning with Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
The researchers attribute the swinging motion of M87’s jet to a misalignment between the spin axis of the black hole and the rotational axis of its accretion disk. The accretion disk, a disk-like structure surrounding the black hole, consists of materials that gradually spiral into the void. This misalignment causes a significant impact on spacetime surrounding the black hole, affecting the movement of nearby objects as described by the General Theory of Relativity. Further observation and analysis are necessary to determine the size of M87’s accretion disk and the speed at which its black hole is spinning. Overall, this discovery enhances our understanding of the enigmatic realm of black holes.