Two black holes in orbit around each other imaged in OJ287; ARIES Nainital scientists part of the team
PIB reported on 10 October 2025 that astronomers, including scientists from ARIES Nainital and TIFR Mumbai, have for the first time imaged two black holes orbiting each other in OJ287, using the RadioAstron space telescope.
Summary
PIB reported on 10 October 2025 that an international team has for the first time seen two black holes circling each other, in the object OJ287. Using the RadioAstron space telescope — an antenna orbiting Earth at vast distances — together with ground observatories, the team obtained a radio image sharper than any Earth-based telescope alone could produce, showing two distinct points of radio emission where the binary model predicted the two black holes would be. The smaller black hole was seen launching a jet that twists like a 'wagging tail' as it orbits its massive partner. Indian contributors include Alok C. Gupta and Shubham Kishore of the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, and A. Gopakumar of TIFR, Mumbai; OJ287's periodic behaviour was discovered in 1982. Previously only two black holes had been imaged directly: those in Messier 87 and Sagittarius A*.
Key facts
- Object
- OJ287 — binary black hole
- Instrument
- RadioAstron space telescope + ground observatories
- Finding
- Two distinct radio sources; smaller black hole's jet twists like a 'wagging tail'
- Indian institutes
- ARIES Nainital (DST); TIFR Mumbai
- Periodicity found
- 1982
- Earlier direct images
- M87 and Sagittarius A*
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Which Indian institute under the Department of Science & Technology played a crucial part in the first imaging of two orbiting black holes in OJ287 (reported October 2025)?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital
PIB: ARIES, Nainital, an autonomous institute of DST, played a crucial part; its scientists Alok C. Gupta and Shubham Kishore were among the authors.
Consider the following statements about the OJ287 black hole observation: 1. The image was obtained using the RadioAstron space telescope together with ground-based observatories. 2. The larger of the two black holes was seen launching a twisting jet. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. PIB: the team used the RadioAstron space telescope with ground-based observatories; it was the smaller black hole that was seen launching a jet that twists like a 'wagging tail'.