NASA finds a dwarf galaxy with a black hole

Scientists have discovered that a dwarf galaxy which is 500 times smaller than the Milky Way has a giant dark heart. M60-UCD1 is the smallest galaxy that contains a super-massive black hole at the center. Its mass is equivalent to that of 21 million suns.

It is suggested by the finding that these huge black holes are more common that it was thought previously. A black hole is a region wherein the matter becomes densely squeezed so that even light can’t escape the gravitational pull.

There is a large black hole in the core of the Milky Way containing the mass of 4 million suns. However, the black hole at the heart of M60-UCD1 is 5 times bigger and accounts for fifteen percent of the total mass of the small galaxy.

It is believed by the scientists that M60-UCD1 may be remnant of a larger galaxy that had the outer regions torn away after they approached close to another monster-sized galaxy, which it orbits now. A similar story is seen behind the formation of other dwarf galaxies. These might also harbor super massive black holes.

Dr. Anil Seth, the lead scientist from University of Utah said that they don’t know any other way through which this black hole can be made this small. There are several ultra-compact dwarf galaxies that together contain super massive black holes as they are at centers of normal galaxies. Gemini North eight metre telescope was used by Astronomers for investigation of M60-UCD1

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Anne-Marie Jackson

Anna grew up on a steady diet of 20th century literature, science-fiction movies and Viking lore. Unsurprisingly she turned into a technology geek with an inclination for history & fantasy.