Entity
Mrk 501 Supermassive Black Hole Pair
Astronomers identified a likely pair of supermassive black holes orbiting each other every 121 days at the center of galaxy Mrk 501, with a possible merger in as little as 100 years.
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Astronomers have found evidence of two supermassive black holes spiraling toward a potential collision at the center of galaxy Mrk 501 (ScienceDaily, October 18). A previously unseen jet of particles revealed the likely presence of a second black hole, with observations suggesting the pair completes an orbit every 121 days (ScienceDaily, October 18). Depending on their masses, the black holes could merge in as little as 100 years (ScienceDaily, October 18). This is a rare, closely-watched candidate for a near-term (astronomically speaking) supermassive black hole merger, likely to generate follow-up observations and papers given its scientific significance for testing general relativity and gravitational wave predictions.