Imaging a super-massive black hole

[ToSeek]

Feeding the Monster: Images Reveal the Surroundings of a Super-massive Black Hole (http://www.physorg.com/news7296.html)


Near-infrared images of the active galaxy NGC 1097, obtained with the NACO adaptive optics instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope, disclose with unprecedented detail a complex central network of filamentary structure spiralling down to the centre of the galaxy. These observations provide astronomers with new insights on how super-massive black holes lurking inside galaxies get fed.

[Ken G]

Awesome pic! You can really imagine the black hole in there.

[George]

Kind'a spooky, but very interesting. :clap:

Here is a visible (http://dvaa.org/php/sac.php?item=NGC1097) image.

[Kullat Nunu]

Here's the original ESO press release. (http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2005/phot-33-05.html)

[cran]

I know I've already said this somewhere, but isn't it a great time to be alive and to be able to know about these discoveries? :clap:
It keeps getting better and better! :D

[ToSeek]

iantresman's ATM claims and the resulting rebuttals have been extracted to this thread. (http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php?t=33816)

[ToSeek]

The BA discusses this on his blog (http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/?p=174).

[George]

Am I missing something, or is the dust spiraling in a reverse rotation?

[cran]

Thanks ToSeek (I wondered how long that would take)...
Sorry George, I can't see any reversal in the linked images - I know there are occasions when light and shade in restricted views can generate so-called 'optical illusions'; also, if proximal objects are moving in the same direction but at different velocities, then the 'slower' may appear to be going 'backwards'...
or maybe I'm the one who is missing something?

[George]

Sorry George, I can't see any reversal in the linked images - I know there are occasions when light and shade in restricted views can generate so-called 'optical illusions'; also, if proximal objects are moving in the same direction but at different velocities, then the 'slower' may appear to be going 'backwards'...
or maybe I'm the one who is missing something?
You may well be right. The BA's blog does a nice job demonstraing the big picture and the zoomed-in picture, too. The galaxy just seems to be rotating counter-clockwise while the new images show the nucleous material spiraling-in clockwise. I'm a rookie at this, but maybe someone will explain this impression I have.

[cran]

The galaxy just seems to be rotating counter-clockwise while the new images show the nucleous material spiraling-in clockwise. I'm a rookie at this, but maybe someone will explain this impression I have. I don't see that in the visible image you posted above, George - the rotation appears to be the same to me ... however the 'plane of view' does seem different to me: '3 o'clock high and tilted' in the visible image (presumably of the whole galaxy) and 'directly overhead' in the core zoom - perhaps there was some post-production enhancement to compensate for the angle of view? :think:

[George]

Here is how it appears to me, though I realize I may simply not understand how this works...

http://img437.imageshack.us/my.php?image=galacticrotationcomparsion7hw.jpg

http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/2156/galacticrotationcomparsion7hw.th.jpg

[cran]

George, the left hand image in your last post (the visible) is a 'horizontal flip' or mirror image of the earlier 'visible' image you posted ... that might be why it shows a contradiction ... :think:

[George]

George, the left hand image in your last post (the visible) is a 'horizontal flip' or mirror image of the earlier 'visible' image you posted ... that might be why it shows a contradiction ... :think:
Dang! I'm the one guy that should have answered my own question. I got glued to BA's Blog (http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/?p=174) and didn't bother to use my own reference image.



Thanks Cran. Of course, maybe it's my image that is in error. Not likely. You would think they would have noticed this discrepancy themselves, but then maybe they just wanted see if some genius would come up with a counter rotation woo woo claim. :D

[publiusr]

Feeding the Monster: Images Reveal the Surroundings of a Super-massive Black Hole (http://www.physorg.com/news7296.html)

Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here.

If you look real close, you will see the Cygnus and Maximillian. I wonder if the BH pinwheels:
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8868&start=60

[cran]

Dang! I'm the one guy that should have answered my own question. I got glued to BA's Blog (http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/?p=174) and didn't bother to use my own reference image.

Thanks Cran. Of course, maybe it's my image that is in error. Not likely. You would think they would have noticed this discrepancy themselves, but then maybe they just wanted see if some genius would come up with a counter rotation woo woo claim. :D
Anytime George; I'm glad it was as simple as that ... and thanks for the kudos in the blog :)

[George]

Your welcome, cran. Remind me not to make any more mistakes. :)

[cran]

:D

I have learned from my mistakes ... and I'm sure that I can repeat them exactly!