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> Supermassive black hole with torn-apart star

Supermassive black hole with torn-apart star

author: Nasa/ESA/ESO/Novapix

reference: a-blh01-00034

Image Size 300 DPI: 42 * 29 cm

This artist’s impression depicts a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole surrounded by an accretion disc. This thin disc of rotating material consists of the leftovers of a Sun-like star which was ripped apart by the tidal forces of the black hole. Shocks in the colliding debris as well as heat generated in accretion led to a burst of light, resembling a supernova explosion.

Keywords for this photo:

2016 - ASTRONOMY - BLACK HOLE - DISK - GALACTIC BLACK HOLE - GALAXY - ILLUSTRATION - SPACETIME - SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE -