`Huge black hole emits light for 5 months after eating stars`

A team of scientists has discovered for the first time in the world a giant black hole that generates light after swallowing stars.

An international joint research team including seven Korean researchers from Seoul National University’s Center for the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute announced in the Aug. 25 issue of the scientific journal Nature that they discovered a “mega mass black hole” 3.9 billion light years away that continuously emits light after swallowing stars.

The stars were first spotted May 28 this year. NASA’s Swift satellite, which was launched in 2003, spotted the center of a distant galaxy abruptly lighting up and relayed the information back to earth.

NASA scientists immediately informed researchers worldwide of this unusual phenomenon, and just how long the brightened phenomenon will continue is unknown. Fifty-eight researchers of a joint research team from six countries, including Korea, Italy, Britain and Japan took part in the study, and discovered this phenomenon dubbed “Swift J1644+57,” by mobilizing all of their space surveillance equipment.

The Korean research group used the 1.8-meter telescope at the Mount Bohyeon Optical Astronomy Observatory of an astronomical institute in Yeongcheon County, North Gyeongsang Province, and a four-meter infrared ray telescope in Hawaii called UKIRT, which is owned by the university’s astrological research group.

The group collected almost all data in the scope of visible and near infrared light and analyzed it, playing a critical role in the study.

Near infrared light, which has lower energy than X-rays or gamma rays, is known to be difficult to monitor.

Swift J1644+57 still generates light. The mega mass black hole exists in the Draco constellation in western skies over the Korean Peninsula in early evening. Because it is so far away, the phenomenon is impossible to see either with the naked eye or ordinary space telescopes.

jermes@donga.com