Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration releases new images of M87*

M87* one year later. In 2018, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observed M87* and confirmed a ring similar to what was seen in 2017. However, the brightest part of the ring had shifted to the southwest.

A new study by the Max Planck Society compares these EHT observations from 2017 and 2018 with new computer models to provide theoretical explanations for these changes. This study is crucial for understanding the black hole’s turbulent accretion flow over several years. It uses much larger and improved simulations, three times bigger than before, with key contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn, Germany.

By combining data from different times with advanced models, we can better understand the changes in brightness near M87*. This approach paves the way for future research on the complex interactions between plasma dynamics and black hole spin . The 2018 observations confirmed the ring around M87* seen in 2017.

Its diameter of about 43 microarcseconds matches predictions for the shadow of a 6.5 billion solar-mass black hole. As predicted in 2017, the brightest part of the ring shifted about 30 degrees counter-clockwise due to turbulence in the accretion disk.

Groundbreaking Discovery: First ever image of the Milky Way’s Supermassive black hole The EHT team analyzed accretion models using a synthetic data set that was three times larger than the one from 2017. When gas spirals into a black hole, it can align with or oppose the black hole’s spin. The observed changes are better explained by gas moving against the black hole’s rotation .

“The 2018 observations, along with the 2017 data, provide a more detailed understanding of M87*’s accretion flow,” explains Eduardo Ros, a scientist at MPIfR. “ The study highlights the changing nature of plasma structures near the event horizon and offers insights into the mechanisms causing these variations. This ongoing process of modeling and observation is essential for uncovering the dynamics of black hole environments.

” This new understanding is significant, especially when considering complementary observations of the black hole’s shadow by the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA) in 2018, presented in April 2023. “These 3 mm wavelength observations, combined with the EHT’s 1.3 mm findings, give a fuller picture of the black hole’s environment and its dynamics,” adds Thomas P.

Krichbaum, a scientist at MPIfR and part of the research team. Continued analysis of EHT data from 2021 and 2022 aims to provide more precise statistical constraints and deeper insights into the turbulent flow around M87*. J.

Anton Zensus, director at MPIfR and founding chair of the EHT collaboration, notes , “These results stem from the EHT’s ongoing work and are confirmed by GMVA investigations. They demonstrate the importance of global partnerships, advanced technologies, and persistent research for scientific progress.” Journal Reference: The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Kazunori Akiyama, Ezequiel Albentosa-Ruíz, Antxon Alberdi, Walter Alef, Juan Carlos Algaba, Richard Anantua, Keiichi Asada, Rebecca Azulay, Uwe Bach, Anne-Kathrin Baczko, David Ball, Mislav Baloković, Bidisha Bandyopadhyay, John Barrett, Michi Bauböck, Bradford A.

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Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451296 Topics Black Hole Galaxy Universe.