More light cast on ‘black hole’ puzzle

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 15

More light cast on ‘black hole’ puzzle

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) ROME. Italian astronomers have interpreted flares sighted from a giant star 6000 light years away as the first visual evidence of the mysterious “black holes” thought to exist in space.

But leading British astronomers doubt the coni elusion, saying that the Haitians have merely contributed another piece to the astronomical puzzle. A black hole is the remnant of a giant star that collapsed because its fuel was spent. As the structure falls in on itself, the dying star becomes denser. The increasing density of the star generates a growing gravitational pull, which can suck in dust and gases from a neighbouring star. Eventually, the black hole’s gravity becomes so great that not even light can escape and it will literally disappear. The six-man Italian team bases its findings on observations made in June and July of a giant star. H.D.E. i 226868, with a 91cm tele-

,- scope at Catania, Sicily. The i-i star is located in the Cygnus - i constellation 6000 * light d’years away. i-i Astronomers around the ) world have long conjectured i- about the existence of a - black hole in this area, spinsi ning around and sucking e matter from a nearby star. g The leader of the team, - Mr Giulio Auriemma, of the r Italian National Research - Centre, has told journalists i that the team had sighted a i disc, similar to the rings of - Saturn, spinning around the; -Ihole at 10,000 km a second. ti A bright flare was spotted J ion the disc, which dis--'appeared after 10 minutes. ’He interpreted this as a ’ j stream of matter, sucked jlfrom the visible star, and' Jvanishing into the black; -I hole.