{"id":63683,"date":"2024-09-10T09:49:26","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T09:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/efd7b6be-8447-4131-84a0-f455e2d82731"},"modified":"2024-09-10T10:39:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T10:39:44","slug":"hubble-image-shows-a-pair-of-supermassive-black-holes-in-a-close-knit-waltz-as-their-host-galaxies-collide","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/hubble-image-shows-a-pair-of-supermassive-black-holes-in-a-close-knit-waltz-as-their-host-galaxies-collide\/","title":{"rendered":"Hubble image shows a pair of supermassive black holes in a close-knit waltz as their host galaxies collide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Galaxy merger MCG-03-34-64 is 800 million lightyears away and contains binary black holes 300 lightyears apart in the process of colliding. <\/p>

By Iain Todd\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 10 September 2024 at 09:49 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Two black holes just 300 lightyears apart have been observed buried deep within two colliding galaxies.<\/p>

The black hole<\/a> pair was detected using the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory.<\/p>

While binary black holes have been observed before, these two are the closest pair ever detected.<\/p>

The black holes are known as active galactic nuclei because they glow brightly due to matter falling inwards and heating up as it does so.<\/p>