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Guru
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Invisible Bubble Surrounds Black Hole

08/16/2005 2:00 PM

Scientists using the Dutch Westerbork radio telescope have learned that a huge invisible bubble surrounds a well-studied black hole. The newfound bubble is about 10 light-years across and is expanding at about 225,000 mph (100 kilometers per second). It is formed by a jet of energetic particles that packs about 100,000 times more energy than the sun.

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The Feature Creep

Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boston, MA
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#1

X-Ray Jets

08/16/2005 2:50 PM

I find it interesting after years of being told that nothing can escape a black hole that we are now talking about jets of energy and matter being emitted with the power of 100,000 Suns.
The other funny thing is that the so called "empty vacuum of space" is forming a bubble of interstellar gas. I guess with enough time every certainty we are raised with becomes absurd.

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#2
In reply to #1

Re:X-Ray Jets

08/17/2005 9:45 AM

Let's see. I'm measuring expansion relative to the edge of an invisible object - which is a really neat trick - and calculating energies of 100000 suns. I assume you know what sun I mean. Are we getting this?

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The Feature Creep

Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boston, MA
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#3
In reply to #2

Re:X-Ray Jets

08/17/2005 9:54 AM

I guess they are measuring the displacement of the gas emissions As for the sun they are talking about, I think they had it as a capital Sun, our star, I wish they would just refer to it as Sol.
All in all it is more than a little bit vague, but this is astrophysics we are talking about not rocket science =)

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#4
In reply to #3

Re:X-Ray Jets

08/17/2005 4:07 PM

I read the first report before I had my morning coffee. I'm sure you're right; they are measuring the expansion rate of the bubble relative to itself. The posted article, however, refers to the bubble as "invisible." Perhaps for astrophysicists "invisible" is relative(?), and unless otherwise noted sun means Sun means Sol.

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