A telescope the size of Earth sees a black hole's jet twisting near its source
Astronomers made the sharpest-ever picture of the gas beam shooting from a giant black hole in the galaxy 3C 279. The innermost part of the beam is bent almost sideways from the rest and points nearly straight at Earth, and this twist keeps showing up over ten years.
Why it matters
Supermassive black holes launch beams of matter (called jets) that can reach far beyond their home galaxies, yet nobody fully understands how these beams are born and shaped. Seeing one bend and change this close to its source is a rare, direct clue. It will not change daily life, but it helps answer a basic question about the most powerful engines in the Universe.
Who's behind it: H. Mueller, S. von Fellenberg and the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, Event Horizon Telescope collaboration.
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