Black Hole

This wide-field, ground-based image provided by NASA on Wednesday, April, 15, 2026, shows the visible light component of Cygnus X-1, center, a rich source of X-rays in the constellation of Cygnus. via AP)

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Astronomers measure the mind-blowing power and speed of black hole jets for the first time

Astronomers measure the mind-blowing power and speed of black hole jets for the first time

Scientists for the first time have measured the instantaneous mind-blowing power of jets blasting from a black hole. The international team reported Thursday that the jet power from Cygnus 1-X, a relatively close black hole-star system, is equivalent to 10,000 suns. And the jet speed is roughly half the speed of light. Cygnus X-1 features not only a black hole but a blue supergiant star, its constant companion. This binary system is located in our Milky Way’s Cygnus, or swan, constellation. The findings appear in the journal Nature Astronomy.