Not one but *two* supermassive black holes discovered in another galaxy. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

Try to let the linked story sink in for moment after reading it. This is really science-fictiony stuff. It inspires awe to ponder this verified finding of binary supermassive black holes. Words don't do justice.
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=9846

 

[Lew Crippen]

Wow!

Jack, you find some of the most interesting things.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

to ponder this verified finding of binary supermassive black holes

Aren't you making too much of the gravity of the situation?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Funny, Dennis. It hit me in ... waves.

 

[RobertR]

Will the science talked about in the story be too dense for some people?

 

[Jim_C]

Whenever these subjects come up I find it impossible to pull myself away.

 

[Brian Perry]

I have a question regarding the timeframes mentioned. The article mentioned that the merger should happen in the next couple hundred million years. It later stated that the galaxy was 400 million light years away.

Doesn't this mean that the huge "event" that is supposed to happen has likely already happened? After all, we are seeing the galaxy as it existed 400 million years ago. Or was that delay already factored in?

 

[Clinton McClure]

There's a couple holes in that story...
That's a very good question, Brian.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

I don't know why I always get sucked into these threads but its very cool non the less

 

[Chuck C]

This thread is light years beyond my understanding of space.

 

[EugeneR]

I imagine the delay was already figured in.

The real question is, with such cataclysmic events on the way, should we still upgrade?

 

[RobertR]

with such cataclysmic events on the way, should we still upgrade?

I imagine we'll have time to upgrade to Windows Version 2 billion.

Almost all the bugs should be out by then.

 

[Vickie_M]

I've already decreed (it's official!) that no Apocalyptic event that will affect Earth can happen before mid-2004.
(There, now we have the Matrix sequels, Return of the King and Star Wars: Episode III covered. Y'all can breathe easy)
(edited for, uh, spelling. Your Queen of the Universe is a lousy speller)

 

[Dennis Reno]

Hmmm, now I personally can name three super-massive black holes. These two and my 401k!
By the way, let me be the first to thank the self-proclaimed "Queen of the Universe" for delaying Apocalyptic events Thats why she is the Queen!

 

[BrianW]

I imagine the delay was already figured in.

I doubt this very seriously. We (scientists & astronomers) don't care one whit when events really happen in the cosmos. We care only when we actually experience or see the events. Only when questions about the origins of the Universe come up, or as a minor point of curiosity, do we begin to place events on an absolute timetable.

And, according to Einstein, it doesn't happen until you see it, making the endeavor of creating an absolute timetable based on simultaneity of events throughout the Universe an impossible endeavor, since it would necessarily violate the laws of physics.

The reporter's possible penchant for performing quick calculations to enhance an article's impact notwithstanding, I'm quite sure that the delay has not been factored in.

 

[CaseyLS]

Does this mean we might die?


NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On a more serious note, this is very interesting.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I can't get the link to work.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Just did for me, Dome. Try again. (I'm posting at 11:30 p.m. PST.)

 

[Ian Wilson]

But this is only the first they`ve found. Given the vastness of the universe, I can't imagine that a collision hasn`t already occurred somewhere else. We just haven't observed it yet.

Ian

 

[ColinM]

These gravitational waves will spread through the universe and produce ripples in the fabric of space, which would appear as minute changes in the distance between any two points.

I just figured out how to fold space! Warp drive = who needs it.