The world could get its first real glimpse of a black hole on April 10

[Polycount]

Science is a realm of infinite possibilities, and researchers are always pushing the limits of what we know, and what we think is possible. Scientists are working on projects that range from bringing the Ice Age's mammoths back to cloning monkeys.

However, both of those projects are strictly focused on Earth and its inhabitants. What might be arguably more interesting is the projects scientists are working on beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.

As reported by Science Alert, we as humans may be about to get our first-ever look at a real black hole starting on April 10 - that's just 5 days from now.

This is a pretty exciting event, even for those who aren't particularly interested in space or science. We've always heard teachers and researchers talk about black holes, of course, but we've never truly known what one looks like outside of scientific simulations.

Or, rather, we've never known what one looks like in action. Black holes themselves are, of course, invisible. However, the pull of their gravity and the impact they have on their surroundings should be very visible due to the "event horizon" they leave behind.

The folks working on the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project are the ones we have to thank for this upcoming event. Stay tuned here, or to the official EHT website to see the research team's first photos when April 10 rolls around.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/79531-world-could-get-first-real-glimpse-black-hole.html

 

[VitalyT]

Sounds like a pseudo-scientific hoax, just like the Interstellar movie was.

 

[wiyosaya]

Sounds like a pseudo-scientific hoax, just like the Interstellar movie was.

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is nothing new and there is nothing pseudo-scientific about it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very-long-baseline_interferometry

 

[VitalyT]

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is nothing new and there is nothing pseudo-scientific about it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very-long-baseline_interferometry

I was referring to the article's hype.

 

[wiyosaya]

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is nothing new and there is nothing pseudo-scientific about it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very-long-baseline_interferometry

I was referring to the article's hype.

I prefer to look at it as excitement.

 

[VitalyT]

I prefer to look at it as excitement.

Looking at a gravitational pull is as exciting as watching the grass grow, while working a vacuum cleaner.

 

[captaincranky]

Looking at a gravitational pull is as exciting as watching the grass grow, while working a vacuum cleaner.

Perhaps so, but you can watch grass grow any time you chose, not so with a black hole.

 

[VitalyT]

Perhaps so, but you can watch grass grow any time you chose, not so with a black hole.

Yeah, but you don't want the black hole to get a real glimpse of you!

 

[Skjorn]

I prefer to look at it as excitement.

Looking at a gravitational pull is as exciting as watching the grass grow, while working a vacuum cleaner.

Two very complex scientific things you just mentioned. Sorry for your lack of basic intrigue.

 

[captaincranky]

Looking at a gravitational pull is as exciting as watching the grass grow, while working a vacuum cleaner.

Perhaps so, but consider those poor unfortunate souls without lawns, nor the means to purchase a vacuum cleaner, who will be forced to watch black holes for entertainment..

 

[rub900]

Sounds like a pseudo-scientific hoax, just like the Interstellar movie was.

I am not sure if you are just trolling or truly don't understand science.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

We should dump nuclear waste in there. Use Black Holes as the ULTIMATE Garbage Disposal.

 

[wiyosaya]

Looking at a gravitational pull is as exciting as watching the grass grow, while working a vacuum cleaner.

Perhaps so, but consider those poor unfortunate souls without lawns, nor the means to purchase a vacuum cleaner, who will be forced to watch black holes for entertainment..

Now that's my idea of entertainment!

 

[wiyosaya]

Two very complex scientific things you just mentioned. Sorry for your lack of basic intrigue.

Some people are easily pleased.

Others like intellectual challenges.

 

[seeprime]

We should dump nuclear waste in there. Use Black Holes as the ULTIMATE Garbage Disposal.

The sun is a lot closer. Saves on gas, man.

 

[ShagnWagn]

We should dump nuclear waste in there. Use Black Holes as the ULTIMATE Garbage Disposal.

The sun is a lot closer. Saves on gas, man.

Yeah, but think of the toxic fumes coming back at us! Kind of like burning styrofoam on the campfire.

 

[dogofwars]

That would make a beautiful login screen while you wait for it to log you on.

 

[Godel]

It's full of stars.

 

[Uncle Al]

Now HERE's a challenge for Elon Musk .... he needs to launch another sports car with HIM behind the wheel right into the center of the thing .... oh yeah, just tell him it's a shortcut to Mars so he can be there and back before dinner time ......

 

[psycros]

Am I the only one who finds it weird that black holes seem to be essentially two-dimensional? Its almost like the more extreme the physics the harder it is for a phenomenon to express itself in every dimension that we're aware of..like a computer that's being overtaxed by a simulation. Your graphics suddenly go from photo-realistic to Minecraft.

 

[captaincranky]

Yeah, but think of the toxic fumes coming back at us! Kind of like burning styrofoam on the campfire.

You just gave me the best idea for campfires since charcoal lighter. I'm off to the patent office this coming Monday! This will revolutionize camping as we know it, tampon scented marshmallows!

 

[Udelh579]

I'm very excited as it's the first time humanity will get a glimpse on one of the most incomprehensible things in our universe. Again we can see what the collaboration between so many countries and institutes can bring to mankind.
It's way better news than same-old politics and other negative stuff.

 

[wiyosaya]

Now HERE's a challenge for Elon Musk .... he needs to launch another sports car with HIM behind the wheel right into the center of the thing .... oh yeah, just tell him it's a shortcut to Mars so he can be there and back before dinner time ......

Haven't you heard the rumor? Musk already launched himself in his Tesla on Falcon Heavy - the dummy stayed behind.

 

[wiyosaya]

Am I the only one who finds it weird that black holes seem to be essentially two-dimensional? Its almost like the more extreme the physics the harder it is for a phenomenon to express itself in every dimension that we're aware of..like a computer that's being overtaxed by a simulation. Your graphics suddenly go from photo-realistic to Minecraft.

Personally, I think the graphics used to convey the concept of a black hole are severely lacking machinations that arise from a scientifically incomplete understanding of them. They boggle the average astrophysicist's mind; well, not only the average astrophysicist, but the even extraordinary astrophysicist like Stephen Hawking - rest his soul. So graphics to represent them make them out to be some sort of magical and mystical object.

In my not so humble opinion, they formed as the remnant of a 3D object - a star. Who is to say that what is left over is not another 3D object, I.e., a ball of highly condensed matter in space?

We simply do not have enough factual scientific information on them yet as they are so difficult to study due to the fact that most of whatever comes out of them is in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum that are very difficult to observe.

As I see it, this project is a step in the right direction. Its scope, bringing together telescopes from around the world, only reinforces the notion that black holes really are very difficult to study, at least as I see it, anyway.

 

[wiyosaya]

For anyone interested, here is an article that gives some more detail - https://phys.org/news/2019-04-scientists-unveil-picture-black-hole.html