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Scientists spot the brightest flare yet from a supermassive black hole

  • By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN - AP Science Writer

Scientists have spotted the brightest flare yet from a black hole. It was first spotted in 2018 by a camera at the Palomar Observatory in California. The cosmic outburst likely happened because a large star wandered too close to the black hole and got shredded to pieces. It took about three months to shine at peak brightness, about the light of 10 trillion suns. Almost every large galaxy, including our Milky Way, has a supermassive black hole at its center. Studying such behemoths can help researchers understand the stellar neighborhood surrounding them. The research was published Tuesday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

How to spot November's supermoon, the closest of the year
National
AP Wire

How to spot November's supermoon, the closest of the year

  • By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN - AP Science Writer
  • Updated

The closest supermoon of the year is approaching in November. It happens when a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly bigger and brighter. Wednesday’s event is the second of three supermoons this year and also the closest. The moon will come within just under 222,000 miles of Earth. The change in the moon’s size can be tough to discern with the naked eye. Supermoons happen a few times a year. A supermoon in October made the moon look somewhat larger. The last supermoon of the year will rise in December.