Mystery in Space: Chinese Astronomers Discover Black Hole That's Breaking the Rules

By Chinese Academy of Sciences
September 13, 2024

Red Giant Black Hole Binary Concept



Chinese astronomers have identified a mass-gap black hole, a rare find that challenges traditional astrophysics theories. This discovery was made possible by integrating radial velocity measurements and astrometry data, highlighting the black hole’s presence in a wide binary system. Credit: SciTechDaily.com


Researchers in China have uncovered a low-mass black hole within the elusive mass-gap, defying previous scientific consensus.

By combining radial velocity and astrometry, they identified this black hole in a wide binary system, challenging existing theories on binary evolution and black hole formation. This significant finding not only adds a new member to the known range of black hole masses but also provides crucial insights into the dynamics of binary systems and stellar evolution.

Breakthrough in Black Hole Research
Chinese researchers have discovered a promising mass-gap black hole using radial velocity and astrometry methods. The study was published online on September 10 in Nature Astronomy. It was conducted by a team led by Dr. Song Wang, an associate researcher from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC).

Over the past six decades, scientists have discovered two dozen stellar-mass black holes using X-ray methods. The mass distribution of these black holes, mainly between five to 25 solar masses, shows a scarcity of black holes with masses ranging from three to five solar masses.

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