Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Galaxy

Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Galaxy

2015, Science  -   10 Comments
8.50
12345678910
Ratings: 8.50/10 from 143 users.

The mysteries that lie within the center of the Milky Way serves as the basis for enticing documentary. This breathtaking swirl composed of gas, dust, and billions of stars has remained largely elusive throughout history, but its secrets may hold the key to understanding much of what remains unknown about our universe.

The film opens by tracing the historical discoveries which have led to our present-day understanding of the Milky Way. That history began in the 1930s when American physicist Karl Jansky identified the Milky Way as a source of radio static for Bell Telephone Industries. More than three decades later, acclaimed astronomer Eric Becklin helped to construct infrared technology which allowed his team to peer through the clouds of dust particles to uncover the center of the Milky Way.

In the 1990s, aided by highly advanced telescopic technologies, two groups of astronomers formed observational stations in different parts of the globe in order to further understand the contents and activities that lay at the center of the galaxy. Becklin was stationed in Hawaii, while astronomer Reinhart Jensen studied from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. The speed with which objects swarmed and circled around this galactic center led to the possibility of a supermassive black hole, a theory further supported by the awe-inspiring imagery captured by the Hubble telescope.

Featuring insightful footage of these renowned scientists at work and a wealth of gorgeous space photography and animations, this film follows the continuing journey for knowledge that was set in motion by Jansky all those years ago. Their quest is occasionally thwarted by the limitations of current technology, a challenge they overcome with impressive cooperation and ingenuity. For them, many mysteries remain. What accounts for the formation of this black hole, and for the immense power which permits it to illuminate our galaxy? With little doubt, Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Galaxy affirms that their continued efforts will provide an even greater understanding of these mysteries in the not so distant future.

More great documentaries

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

10 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
drmax
drmax
4 years ago

I believe we are living in the exhaust of a black hole Think about it...

me
me
6 years ago

Bit of a shame they don't let the astronomers talk about their work at all. Seems a bit rude they were invited onto the program in the first place.

DustUp
DustUp
6 years ago

Maybe the black hole isn't in the center of the universe, as if they even know where that is ...unless it is here, in the center of their head? If going to postulate theories, then alternatives theories can also be postulated, such as others have done. No such thing as black holes only a misunderstanding of the great counterbalanced forces that exist everywhere at all times. Space is not a vacuum unless you define space vacuum as energy.

kelly m
kelly m
7 years ago

I love it great job!

Dave Nelson
Dave Nelson
7 years ago

Our galaxy produces great documentaries, whilst 0402+39 does not seem to have such content. Also our galaxy has me and to my knowledge, few or no others do.

iamthatiam
iamthatiam
7 years ago

did anyone else see the image of the man's face within a zooming in picture of our galaxy??? around 6:54

bored
bored
7 years ago

this is lacking interviews

David Harding
David Harding
8 years ago

Black holes do not evaporate, they are merely messy eaters. There can be no cycle to creation if energy cannot be trapped (stored) and instead merely evaporates away.

Zеня
Zеня
8 years ago

Some galaxies, such as Galaxy 0402+379 , appear to have two supermassive black holes at their centers, forming a binary system . If they collided, the event would create strong gravitational waves .