Dr. Victoria Grinberg

It turns out #BlackHoles are a lot like cats 😼 Especially, they play with their food 🐀

You don't believe me?

Remember how a #cat plays with a mouse: catches it, releases it, catches it again, releases it again ... Turns out, black holes can do the same with stars: they can catch and partially disrupt a star, release it, wait until it approaches again, play with it a bit more, release it, wait for the next approach:

▶️ https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/XMM-Newton_spies_black_holes_eating_the_same_stars_again_and_again

#astrodon #esa #scicomm #VicisAstro #VicisArt

XMM-Newton spies black holes eating the same stars again and again

Two teams of astronomers using ESA’s XMM-Newton space telescope have observed repeated outbursts of light from inactive black holes that partially destroy stars again and again. This discovery is unexpected, since outbursts of black holes usually appear only once when a black hole consumes a star. 

Jan 12, 2023 at 3:58pmWeb
Show threadStegosaurusJan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg and yet they can have hair, apparently. Good thing I'm allergic to cats. I'll stay away from black holes as well.
Show threadThe Duality of XanJan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg
Show threadScotchfairyJan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg so calling black cats 'voids' or 'void panthers' maybe wasn't the best idea we've ever had.
(When the pile of black laundry bites you, hope it's the cat.)
Show threadKnud JahnkeJan 12, 2023

@vicgrinberg

But that's not a black hole. It seems to have hair... ;-)

Show threadDaniil BaturinJan 12, 2023

@vicgrinberg
>black holes don't typically have cat ears

As far as I know, there's no final answer to the no-hair conjecture, and now there's no-ears conjecture looming on the (event) horizon... ;)

Show threadKevin RussellJan 12, 2023

@vicgrinberg

Black holes have Hawking Whiskers.

Show threadPhilippJan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg What about mewtron stars? Can they also do that?
Show threadsimonbpJan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg You can really distract a black hole with a maser
Show threadLi Xi Qing 🇦🇺💙💛🇺🇦Jan 12, 2023
@vicgrinberg
Here is a plot twist:
It's other way around!
Cats are a lot like BHs, they are just local Earth embodiments of BHs, destroying all pots in their vicinities, and hey where is that sock btw?!
Show threadRatnabali BJan 13, 2023
@vicgrinberg Oh! Looks like the Black Hole is in my house enjoying some sun at the moment.
Show threadStargeezer SmithJan 13, 2023

@vicgrinberg
The trouble with #BlackHoles:

If much time near a black hole is spent
You may find a Horizon event
Getting sucked in is bad
And will leave loved ones sad
For they'll wonder all time where you went