Astronomers have made a fascinating discovery of a sideways supermassive black hole in galaxy NGC 5084, located 80 million light-years away. Typically, black holes rotate in alignment with the galactic plane, emitting X-rays perpendicular to it. However, NASA’s recent findings show that NGC 5084 contains an X-shaped X-ray plume and a dusty disk of material rotating 90 degrees from the galactic plane’s orientation. This suggests that the galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole tilted on its side, possibly resulting from a recent galactic collision.
The discovery, akin to a cosmic “crime scene,” presents a unique puzzle for scientists. Through the use of innovative techniques like SAUNAS (Selective Amplification of Ultra Noisy Astronomical Signal), researchers re-analyzed data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and observed unusual X-ray emissions. The presence of an X-shaped plume and a dusty disk at a 90-degree angle to the galaxy’s rotation was confirmed with data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). This discovery, initially observed by William Herschel in 1785, sheds new light on NGC 5084’s complex structure.
The peculiar arrangement of the supermassive black hole in NGC 5084 raises questions about its formation, potentially linked to a past galactic disturbance like a collision. Further investigations are required to unravel the mystery behind this cosmic anomaly. The astronomers involved in the study acknowledge the significance of this discovery as it offers valuable insights into the dynamics of galaxies and their black holes.
“The combination of their unique, cross-shaped structure and the ‘tipped-over,’ dusty disk provides us with exclusive insights into the history of this galaxy,” Marcum stated in a press release. Leveraging data that spans up to three decades old, the cosmic investigators at NASA have transformed this black hole cold case into a sizzling galactic enigma – a scientific puzzle demanding resolution.”
