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Astronomers detect light behind black hole for the first time 

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIUpdated: Jul 29, 2021, 03:22 PM IST
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Representative image Photograph:(Reuters)

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The gravitational pull of black holes bends light rays around themselves, allowing scientists to see what lies behind them for the first time. 

For the first time, astronomers led by Dan Wilkins of Stanford University witnessed flares of X-ray radiation originating from behind a black hole.

The X-ray flares reflected off the gas going into the black hole, and the telescopes picked up fainter lights as the flares faded.

According to theory, these luminous echoes were consistent with X-rays reflected from behind the black hole – but even a basic understanding of black holes tells us that is a strange place for light to come from.

The corona was being studied by the researchers, but telescopes picked up unexpected "luminous echoes."

Smaller, later, and of a different colour than the dazzling flares, these further flashes appeared. 

The discovery backs up Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity.

The gravitational pull of black holes bends light rays around themselves, allowing scientists to see what lies behind them for the first time. 

“Fifty years ago, when astrophysicists began to speculate how the magnetic field might behave close to a black hole, they had no idea that one day we might have the techniques to observe this directly and see Einstein's general theory of relativity in action,” said Roger Blandford, a co-author of the study published in Nature. 

(With inputs from agencies)