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Astronomers Unveil Black Hole's Size and Magnetic Secrets

9/13/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Astronomers measured the black hole's superheated "corona" around quasar RX J1131, located 6 billion light-years away, which spans about 50 astronomical units, similar to our solar system's size.
Gravitational lensing from a foreground galaxy created four images of the quasar, with independent flickering indicating microlensing by stars.
This measurement enables new studies of black hole magnetic fields and growth, with future observations depending on ALMA and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory due to budget cuts impacting NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

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Story summary

Astronomers measured the black hole's superheated "corona" around quasar RX J1131, located 6 billion light-years away, which spans about 50 astronomical units, similar to our solar system's size.
Gravitational lensing from a foreground galaxy created four images of the quasar, with independent flickering indicating microlensing by stars.
This measurement enables new studies of black hole magnetic fields and growth, with future observations depending on ALMA and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory due to budget cuts impacting NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.