Star Destroyer

  • Released Thursday, August 23, 2012
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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.

A star in a galaxy far, far away is consumed by a black hole.

A star in a galaxy far, far away is consumed by a black hole.

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.

Streams of material spill from the star following its fatal approach as seen in this sequence.

Streams of material spill from the star following its fatal approach as seen in this sequence.

A disk of debris forms around the black hole as the star is slowly consumed.

A disk of debris forms around the black hole as the star is slowly consumed.

Astronomers viewing the sky through telescopes saw a much bluer galaxy (right) compared to before the event (left).

Astronomers viewing the sky through telescopes saw a much bluer galaxy (right) compared to before the event (left).

Prior to the event the galaxy showed no signs of activity (left). During the event GALEX detected a 350-fold increase in brightness (right).

Prior to the event the galaxy showed no signs of activity (left). During the event GALEX detected a 350-fold increase in brightness (right).

Astronomers observed the event using the Pan-STARRS1 telescope (above) on Mount Haleakala, Hawaii.

Astronomers observed the event using the Pan-STARRS1 telescope (above) on Mount Haleakala, Hawaii.

For More Information

See NASA.gov

Credits

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.

This page was originally published on Thursday, August 23, 2012.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:52 PM EDT.