Scientists detect light behind black hole for the first time, proving Einstein's theory

For the first time, scientists have detected light from behind the black hole, and it fulfils a prediction rooted in Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. According to the study published in Nature, Stanford University astrophysicist Dan Wilkins and his colleagues were observing X-rays released by a supermassive black hole located at the centre of a galaxy that is 800 million light-years from Earth. Their telescopes then recorded additional flashes of X-rays smalled and of different colours than the bright flares. 

"Any light that goes into that black hole doesn't come out, so we shouldn't be able to see anything that's behind the black hole," said Wilkins, study author, in a statement.

Einstein's general theory of relativity in 'action'

He explained that while the bright flares are not an unusual phenomenon, the X-rays reflecting from behind the black hole was a strange discovery. "The reason we can see that is because that black hole is warping space, bending light and twisting magnetic fields around itself," Wilkins said. He added that material falling into a supermassive black hole gets superheated due to the enormous gravity around it, powering continuous sources of light in the universe by forming corona. 

Further, as per the study, when the electrons separate from atoms at such a high temperature, a magnetic plasma is created. The magnetic field then breaks as it arch high above the black hole and then bends towards it, producing high-energy electrons that subsequently produce X-rays. The study authors determined that the series of smaller flashes were the same X-ray flares but reflected from behind the black hole. 

"Fifty years ago, when astrophysicists starting speculating about how the magnetic field might behave close to a black hole, they had no idea that one day we might have the techniques to observe this directly and see Einstein's general theory of relativity in action," said Roger Blandford, study co-author. 

As per the study, the observations were made using two space-based X-ray telescopes: NASA's NuSTAR and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton. Now, more observation will be needed to understand these black hole coronas. The European Space Agency's upcoming X-ray observatory, called Athena, will launch in 2031, which will help make the observations much clearer. 

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