Astronomers have found the first stellar-mass black hole in Omega Centauri, locked with a star in a 94-year orbit - the longest-period black hole binary yet found
Astronomers have discovered a stellar-mass black hole in the Omega Centauri globular cluster, marking the first such find in the region. The black hole is part of a binary system with a 94-year orbital period, the longest ever recorded for such a pair.
Why it matters
This discovery confirms long-standing theoretical models regarding the population of black holes in massive star clusters.
By the time a star in Omega Centauri finishes a single loop around its companion, a person born at the start of that orbit would be pushing a hundred.
The article is a factual report on astronomical findings based on peer-reviewed research.
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