How interferometry adds up or subtracts to visualize a black hole | Free educational graphics
Graphics compare radio waves coming from a black hole that constructively interfere (the waves are in phase) at two separate telescopes, doubling the waves’ height, and denoting a bright spot from the black hole with two waves that destructively interfere with each other (the waves are out of phase) and cancel each other out, denoting a dark spot.
The latest black hole image was created using a technique called interferometry, in which the radio waves emitted by the black hole and collected by eight telescopes located around the world are compared. If two sites collected waves that were “in-phase”, meaning the waves’ peaks lined up with one another, then the two waves would add together to create a bright spot on the image. If, on the other hand, the waves were out-of-phase, meaning one wave’s peak lined up with the other’s trough, the waves would cancel each other, producing a dark spot in the image. Working together, the telescopes are able to collect more detailed data than any one could alone.
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This graphic is available for free for in-classroom use. You must contact us to request permission for any other uses.
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Read more in Knowable Magazine
What the image of the Milky Way’s black hole really shows
The massive object at the galaxy’s center is invisible. But this year’s picture of the swirling plasma around its edges will help to reveal more about the galaxy’s history and evolution.
knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2022/what-ima...
Lea en español
Lo que realmente muestra la imagen del agujero negro de la Vía Láctea
El enorme objeto situado en el centro de la galaxia es invisible. Pero la imagen obtenida este año del remolino de plasma que rodea sus bordes ayudará a revelar más sobre la historia y la evolución de la galaxia.
es.knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2022/muest...
Read more from Annual Reviews
The Supermassive Black Hole at the Galactic Center, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Indirect observations of the black hole at the center of our galaxy tell us about its properties and how it has affected the evolution of the Milky Way.
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Knowable Magazine from Annual Reviews is a digital publication that seeks to make scientific knowledge accessible to all. Through compelling articles, beautiful graphics, engaging videos and more, Knowable Magazine explores the real-world impact of research through a journalistic lens. All content is rooted in deep reporting and undergoes a thorough fact-checking before publication.
The Knowable Magazine Science Graphics Library is an initiative to create freely available, accurate and engaging graphics for teachers and students. All graphics are curated from Knowable Magazine articles and are free for classroom use.
Knowable Magazine is an editorially independent initiative produced by Annual Reviews, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society.
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We love to hear how teachers are using our graphics. Contact us: knowablemagazine.org/contact-us
How interferometry adds up or subtracts to visualize a black hole | Free educational graphics
Graphics compare radio waves coming from a black hole that constructively interfere (the waves are in phase) at two separate telescopes, doubling the waves’ height, and denoting a bright spot from the black hole with two waves that destructively interfere with each other (the waves are out of phase) and cancel each other out, denoting a dark spot.
The latest black hole image was created using a technique called interferometry, in which the radio waves emitted by the black hole and collected by eight telescopes located around the world are compared. If two sites collected waves that were “in-phase”, meaning the waves’ peaks lined up with one another, then the two waves would add together to create a bright spot on the image. If, on the other hand, the waves were out-of-phase, meaning one wave’s peak lined up with the other’s trough, the waves would cancel each other, producing a dark spot in the image. Working together, the telescopes are able to collect more detailed data than any one could alone.
===
This graphic is available for free for in-classroom use. You must contact us to request permission for any other uses.
===
Read more in Knowable Magazine
What the image of the Milky Way’s black hole really shows
The massive object at the galaxy’s center is invisible. But this year’s picture of the swirling plasma around its edges will help to reveal more about the galaxy’s history and evolution.
knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2022/what-ima...
Lea en español
Lo que realmente muestra la imagen del agujero negro de la Vía Láctea
El enorme objeto situado en el centro de la galaxia es invisible. Pero la imagen obtenida este año del remolino de plasma que rodea sus bordes ayudará a revelar más sobre la historia y la evolución de la galaxia.
es.knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2022/muest...
Read more from Annual Reviews
The Supermassive Black Hole at the Galactic Center, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Indirect observations of the black hole at the center of our galaxy tell us about its properties and how it has affected the evolution of the Milky Way.
===
Knowable Magazine from Annual Reviews is a digital publication that seeks to make scientific knowledge accessible to all. Through compelling articles, beautiful graphics, engaging videos and more, Knowable Magazine explores the real-world impact of research through a journalistic lens. All content is rooted in deep reporting and undergoes a thorough fact-checking before publication.
The Knowable Magazine Science Graphics Library is an initiative to create freely available, accurate and engaging graphics for teachers and students. All graphics are curated from Knowable Magazine articles and are free for classroom use.
Knowable Magazine is an editorially independent initiative produced by Annual Reviews, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society.
===
We love to hear how teachers are using our graphics. Contact us: knowablemagazine.org/contact-us