Supermassive Black Hole A Star

Author notes

Ep. 42, Page 46

smbhax

on May 28, 2021

A recent NASA article shows a new composite X-ray and radio view of the galactic center, revealing what they call "threads" of ionized gas stretched out by powerful magnetic fields.

"Such strips may have formed when magnetic fields aligned in different directions, collided, and became twisted around each other in a process called magnetic reconnection." "The image shows that the magnetic threads tend to occur at the outer boundaries of the large plumes of hot gas. This suggests that the gas in the plumes is driving magnetic fields that collide to create the threads."

The labeled version of the image points out major features of the core, including the location of radio source Sagittarius A*, our galaxy's central supermassive black hole. The "threads," marked with red boxes, are each about 20 light years long.

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The original 16" x 6.75" watercolor art for today's new A* page is up for auction on eBay. : )