You must have heard about the black hole, its theories, its effects, and whatnot. You must have also read about the collisions taking place between two black holes or two neutron stars. But have you ever heard of a collision between a black hole and a neutron star? Have you seen a black hole swallowing a neutron star that too not like a Cookie monster punching and biting, but like a Pac-Man gobbling all at once?
Yes readers, for the very first time, astronomers have confirmed this event of a collision between black holes and neutron stars leading to another piece of the puzzle in gravitational-wave science.
How did Astronomers learn about Black Hole and Neutron Star Collision?
As per reports, astrophysicists heard a chirp on Jan 5, 2020, from almost 900 million light-years away. And just within 10 days again this chirp was heard, confirming through a study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters that this was an extreme collision between a neutron star and a black hole.
The first collision took place on 5 Jan 2020 between an 8.9 solar mass black hole and 1.9 solar mass neutron star while the other Collision was observed on Jan15,2020 which is detected to be ancient, that occurred around 1 billion years ago in the collision of 6 solar mass black hole and 1.5 solar mass of neutron star.
The Earth detectors detected the gravitational waves that were basically generated due to Collision and hence helped scientists get to the result that this a black hole and neutron star Collision.
Rory Smith, an astrophysicist in ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery at Monash University said that, “It’s an awesome milestone for the nascent field of gravitational-wave astronomy.” Further, he claimed this event was the most extreme phenomenon in the Universe that will open up new avenues to learn about fundamental physics and the process behind the birth, life and death of these stars.
More about the Collision between Black Hole and Neutron Star
These events are named GW200105 and GW200115 respectively. Well, readers, this discovery of collision between a black hole and neutron star has really boosted the field of gravitational-wave science. It was in 2005, not many years from now when the first discovery was made in the field of Gravitational Wave, and now a new discovery has been added.
What Scientists Say about this Collision Between Black Hole and Neutron Star
Researchers from International LIGO Virgi and Kagra collaborations explained the new study saying that,
“In Jan 2020, the LIGO -Virgo detector network observed gravitational wave signals from two compact binary inspirals which are consistent with a neutron star- black hole binaries. These showcase the first confident observation to data of NSBH binaries via any observational means.”
While Susan Scott, an astrophysicist from Australian National University says, “The collision shook the Universe to its core and the ripples were detected sent hurtling through cosmos.”
Moreover, scientists believe that these collision or binary systems existed for a long time but were never known. “We have seen one of the first examples of black holes merging with neutron stars, so we know that they are out there,” says Maya Fishback from Northwestern University.
But readers, this discovery has really opened up gates for more learning in the field giving us a path to test, research, and find about neutron stars and black holes, their sizes, their merging, gravitational waves, and much more!!
No Comments
Pingback: Mountains on Neutron Stars found to be only Few Millimeters Tall - Craffic