Scientists spot light behind a black hole for the first time – By S. Shah (Engadget) / Aug 2 2021
The discovery seemingly confirms Einstein’s century-old prediction.
In a short span of time, astronomers have taken us closer to black holes than ever with unprecedented images of the cosmic giants. Now, for the first time, scientists have seen the phenomena that takes place behind them. As part of the breakthrough, researchers witnessed and captured the light from the back of a supermassive black hole 800 million light years away.
The latest breakthrough is a “key part of the puzzle to understanding” how the universe came to be, according to Stanford astrophysicist Dan Wilkins. What’s more, it appears to confirm Einstein’s theory of relativity from over a century ago.
While studying the bright flares of x-rays emanating from the black hole, a feature known as the corona, researchers also witnessed fainter flashes of light. These were the “luminous echoes” of of the flares bouncing off the gas behind the black hole. This phenomena was first predicted by Einstein in his theory of relativity published in 1916.
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