Coronas are formed when a gaseous substance falls into a black hole. And once inside, it becomes super-heated. At millions of degrees in temperature electrons split from atoms creating a magnetic plasma. This is a phenomenon that mimics a space hurricane.
The magnetic field of X-ray light arcs high above the black hole. And similar to the Earth’s Sun it finally breaks. And a very bright uninterrupted source of light is created. At that time the corona appears to surround the black hole.
Since the corona light is X-ray light, scientists analyze it to map a black hole.
Black Holes Research proves Einstein right
On Wednesday the exciting findings were published in the British journal Nature.
The observed phenomenon was predicted decades ago by Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. But it was never confirmed until the light from behind a black hole was finally seen.
“Fifty years ago, when astrophysicists starting speculating about how the magnetic field might behave close to a black hole, they had no idea that one day we might have the techniques to observe this directly and see Einstein’s general theory of relativity in action,” said Roger Blandford, a co-author of the paper. Blandford is an expert in physics and particle physics and a professor at Stanford and SLAC.
