The supermassive black hole M87*, located 55 million light-years away in the Messier 87 galaxy, continues to intrigue astronomers with its dynamic and chaotic behaviour. Observations from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) have revealed notable turbulence in the accretion flow—the stream of gas and plasma that feeds the black hole. The black hole, which has a mass equivalent to 6.5 billion suns, has been found to rotate along an axis pointing away from Earth. These findings, based on data from April 2017 and April 2018, have deepened understanding of the processes near its event horizon.

Significant Findings Through Multi-Year Analysis

According to a study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, the 2017 and 2018 observations enabled researchers to develop an enhanced picture of the plasma dynamics around M87*. This iterative process, combining observations with advanced simulations, highlighted changes in the black hole’s bright plasma ring. The brightest section of the ring shifted counterclockwise by around 30 degrees between the two years, attributed to turbulence in the gas flow. The research was supported by experts such as Eduardo Ros, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, who emphasised the importance of continuous data integration in unveiling black hole dynamics in a statement.

New Insights Into Feeding Mechanisms

As reported by space.com, the study also indicated that the black hole’s feeding process involves gas spiralling inward, sometimes moving against the direction of its rotation. The EHT team utilised three times the data from 2017 to better model this behaviour. These findings align with earlier observations made using other advanced telescopic arrays. Christian M. Fromm, a member of the EHT theory group, told in a statement to space.com, that combining multi-epoch data with refined models offers a more detailed perspective on the environment surrounding M87*.

Further analysis of data collected in subsequent years is expected to provide deeper insights into the turbulent plasma flow and its interaction with the black hole’s spin. Researchers remain focused on exploring the complex processes governing supermassive black holes like M87*.