– Scientists have observed for the first time the “plunging region” near black holes, where matter falls into the black hole in a final plunge. This confirms a key prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
– Black holes cause extreme warping of spacetime due to their immense mass concentrated in a small space. Einstein predicted there must be a “innermost stable circular orbit” beyond which objects plunge into the black hole.
– The Oxford University team observed this plunging region by studying X-ray data from black holes in binary systems with companion stars. The data showed emissions from just beyond the innermost stable orbit, indicating the final plunge of matter into the black hole.
– The observation was made using data from black hole binary system MAXI J1820+070, located about 10,000 light years away. Material from the companion star forms an accretion disk that feeds the black hole. Emissions from the plunging region just beyond the disk confirm Einstein’s predictions.
– This provides the first direct evidence of Einstein’s theory describing the strong gravitational fields near black holes. Observing more distant black hole plunging regions could provide further insights into this powerful prediction of general relativity.
Source: Space
