A view of the M87 supermassive black hole in polarised light

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, who produced the first ever image of a black hole released in 2019, has today a new view of the massive object at the centre of the Messier 87 (M87) galaxy: how it looks in polarised light. This is the first time astronomers have been able to measure polarisation, a signature of magnetic fields, this close to the edge of a black hole. 

This image shows the polarised view of the black hole in M87. The lines mark the orientation of polarisation, which is related to the magnetic field around the shadow of the black hole.

Credit:

EHT Collaboration

About the Image

Id:eso2105a
Type:Observation
Release date:24 March 2021, 15:00
Related releases:eso2406, eso2105
Size:3414 x 3447 px

About the Object

Name:Messier 87
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole
Constellation:Virgo
Category:Quasars and Black Holes

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Coordinates

Position (RA):12 30 49.42
Position (Dec):12° 23' 28.04"
Field of view:0.00 x 0.00 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Millimeter1.3 mmEvent Horizon Telescope