Universe  ID: 11065

Star Destroyer

Story by Kayvon Sharghi Released on August 23, 2012
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A star in a galaxy far, far away is consumed by a black hole.
What happens when a star gets too close to a black hole? Astronomers were lucky enough to find out as they watched this chance phenomenon, which happens about once every 100,000 years, unfold in a distant galaxy. First, the black hole's gravitational forces ripped the star apart, unleashing a stream of stellar fragments. Bits of ionized gas swirled around the black hole along elliptical paths, while other pieces of the star blasted into space. As the orbiting debris fell toward the black hole, colliding gas particles generated intense heat and light that could be seen from Earth. Astronomers looking through wide-field telescopes saw a bluish glow in the region of night sky where the galaxy is located. Instruments aboard NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) spacecraft also detected the increase in brightness, which lasted months. The computer simulation shows a star being shredded by the gravitational forces of a massive black hole.
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The blue dot indicates the location of the black hole. The rate at which material from the star falls toward the black hole can be seen over time.
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Streams of material spill from the star following its fatal approach as seen in this sequence.
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A disk of debris forms around the black hole as the star is slowly consumed.
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Astronomers viewing the sky through telescopes saw a much bluer galaxy (right) compared to before the event (left).
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Prior to the event the galaxy showed no signs of activity (left). During the event GALEX detected a 350-fold increase in brightness (right).
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Astronomers observed the event using the Pan-STARRS1 telescope (above) on Mount Haleakala, Hawaii.

For More Information

NASA.gov

Story Credits

Lead Scientists:
Suvi Gezari (University of Maryland)
James Guillochon (University of California, Santa Cruz)

Lead Writer:
Kayvon Sharghi (USRA)

Please give credit for this item to:
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Simulation courtesy of NASA/S. Gezari, The Johns Hopkins University/J. Guillochon, University of California, Santa Cruz
Pan-STARRS1 telescope photo courtesy of Rob Ratkowski.

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Keywords:
SVS >> App
NASA Science >> Universe