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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Science! / Astronomy This Is What the End of the World Will Look Like

Posted by Ned Lannamann on Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 11:30 AM


This is an animated video that NASA has produced, after recently observing a black hole by the name of Swift J1644+57 devour a giant star in the Draco constellation—the first time such an event has actually been witnessed as it occurs. In other words, when a black hole swallows our galaxy hole (it will happen, someday), this is what it will look like.

Now, I'm no sciencer, nor am I an astronomyist, but from what I can gather by reading NASA's report (via Astronomy magazine's website, which is just like the print version but without all the racy centerfolds), the swallowed star still emits a blast of X-rays even after it has been sucked in and torn apart by the black hole. Then, it disappears. Forever. And ever. Into a mysterious void, the nature of which science has not even begun to approach understanding.

Are you freaked out yet?

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