The First Photographs of Sagittarius A

Astronomers were able to get the first images of Sagittarius A. This was made possible by Event Horizon Telescope. This project was worked on by an international team. Sagittarius A is about 26,000 light years from the Solar System. Sagittarius A is a supermassive black hole located at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way Galaxy. These images are  revealing more information about the most bizarre objects in  space. The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration involved a global network of telescopes. The technique used to obtain the image is known as very long baseline array interferometry. A combination of radio antennas was used to gain information from space. Atomic clocks and supercomputers were used to produce this image. The biggest problem getting an image is that a black hole bends light. There are accretion disks, which account for a shape being seen in darkness. What is incredible is that plasma travels around Sagittarius A at high speeds. Plasma is a super heated gas. Stars are also close to this black hole. The gravitational force is controlling star movement. Some astronomers have suggested that dark matter could also be next to Sagittarius A. With more images and observations about black holes being produced, it confirms the  the theory of relativity. Theoretical physics and mathematics were able to provide early descriptions of black holes. More is to be learned about Sagittarius A. Overtime technology will enable humankind to explore unknown objects of the universe. 

Outer Space Can Change Brain Size

Human bodies were evolved for environments with gravity . This causes complications with long term space travel. Living in a microgravity environment can result in changes in the muscular and skeletal system. Muscle and bone mass can decrease being in space for long periods of time. Ocular structure can also be dramatically altered. What scientists have found out is that the brain can also undergo changes. The human brain can enlarge in space. Health complications can be possible threats to astronauts attempting to colonize other planets in the distant future. The study showed from MRIs from eleven astronauts showed these changes. The problem is related to body fluids and the absence of an oxygen atmosphere. There still are many unknown factors about what being in Outer Space can do to the human body. If there is going to be a mission to Mars, there should be a full assessment of likely health risks.   

The First Photograph of a Black Hole

The 2019 has ushered in an amazing discovery. Astrophysicists and astronomers now have photographic evidence of a black hole. The image above shows a black hole from galaxy M87.  To detect this supermassive black hole required a global network of eight radio telescopes. Such unusual structures of space are difficult to detect with cameras. The technique used was to look for the silhouette generated by the black hole's event horizon  and accretion disk. The Event Horizon Telescope had been gathering data since 2017 and from that information produced this image. Prior to this photograph, astrophysicists only had indirect evidence of black holes. Einstein's theory of relativity predicted their existence. Through mathematical reasoning and a different perspective relating to gravity, the black hole was an object of  outer space that could not fully be observed. As technology and telescopes become more advanced,  theoretical physics will become more experimental. Long baseline interferometry  combines the radio waves of various telescopes giving it more power to detect objects in the known  universe. The supermassive black hole of  galaxy M87 is 6.5 billion times the mass of the  Sun and 55 million light years away from Earth. Now that there is an image of an actual black hole, this only adds more questions. The most discussed remains what could be inside a black hole singularity. Astronomy and Astrophysics have reached a new age in exploration and knowledge. As more images of black holes are produced they may actually show possible variety in attributes.