Astronomers have discovered a new type of black hole

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Astronomers have discovered a new type of black hole

 

US astronomers have discovered a previously unknown type of black hole that is smaller than previously thought possible, CNN reported, citing a publication in the journal Science.

Black holes are important to the way astrophysicists conceive of the universe - so significant that scientists are trying to make a census of all such objects in the Milky Way galaxy. New research suggests that professionals may be missing out on a class of black holes that they didn't suspect existed in their search. The authors of this study from Ohio University not only offer a new way to search, but also show that there may be a class of objects smaller than the smallest known black holes in the universe.

It is generally accepted theory that the mass of black holes should be at least five times the solar mass. The recently discovered object, located within the Milky Way, is only 3.3 times more massive than the Sun.

Black holes have so much gravity that nothing, even light, can overcome it. They can form after the death of stars, which shrink under the influence of their own gravity and then explode. Neutron stars are the remnants of massive luminaries that have completed their lifespan. As a rule, their mass is comparable to the solar mass, but their radius does not exceed 10-20 km.

At the other pole are the supermassive black holes whose existence has long been known to scientists. Recently, an object with a mass of 40 billion times the size of the Sun was discovered. Surveys by experts at Ohio University show that the lower limit for the mass of black holes is not definitive.

"If we can uncover a new po[CENSORED]tion of black holes, it will give us more information about which stars explode and which ones don't, which ones form black holes and which neutron stars. A new field of research is opening up for us, "says team leader Todd Thompson.