ISRO’s Groundbreaking Discovery: Shedding Light on a Black Hole’s Secrets

National News: After putting India on the map as the first country to land on the Moon’s south pole, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reached another extraordinary milestone—this time by delving into the mysteries of black holes, the most puzzling objects in space.

A dedicated team of ISRO scientists has been studying a black hole known as GRS 1915+105, uncovering remarkable shifts in its X-ray brightness. They noticed that the glow from the black hole dipped suddenly and then, within seconds, brightened again, revealing an unusual and fascinating cosmic pattern.

Astrosat’s Watch: A Window Into the Unknown

India’s pioneering space observatory, Astrosat, has been tracking this black hole since 2015. Researchers call it a “cosmic laboratory” because it provides a rare chance to observe and understand the environment and activity around black holes up close.

The Flicker Puzzle: Understanding QPO

• During brighter phases, the X-rays showed a rapid flicker—nearly 70 times per second.
• Scientists identified this effect as Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO).
• When the brightness dimmed, this flickering completely disappeared.

ISRO researcher Anju Nandi and scientists from IIT-Guwahati explained that these flickers are tied to an ultra-hot cloud of gas and energy called the “corona” that surrounds the black hole. When the black hole shines at its brightest, the corona shrinks and becomes hotter, giving off an even more intense glow.

Why Black Holes Captivate Scientists

• Black holes are some of the most mysterious and powerful entities in the universe.
• They can’t be observed directly because their gravitational pull is so strong that even light cannot escape.
• They are created when giant stars burn through their fuel and eventually collapse under the weight of their own gravity.

A Leap in Cosmic Knowledge

ISRO’s findings from GRS 1915+105 promise to deepen our understanding of how black holes behave and influence their surroundings. This discovery isn’t just a step forward in studying black holes—it could also help scientists unravel the larger story of how the universe is structured and how it has evolved over billions of years.