NASA discovers bizarre “sideways” black hole in distant galaxy

The big picture: Scientists have made a fascinating discovery of a peculiar galaxy known as NGC 5084, which seems to have experienced a cosmic version of a collision. This galaxy showcases two sets of energetic X-ray plumes emanating from its core, hinting at a turbulent history.

Upon analyzing data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, researchers found another intriguing feature of NGC 5084: a small, tilted dust disk spinning at a 90-degree angle to the galaxy’s overall rotation. This unusual orientation suggests a significant disruption in the galaxy’s structure, possibly caused by a collision with another galaxy or a burst of superheated gas.

Lead researcher Amanda Borlaff likened the process of analyzing the galaxy to examining forensic evidence, piecing together clues from different wavelengths to uncover the recent dramatic changes in NGC 5084’s composition.

Typically, galaxies emit X-ray energy uniformly in a spherical pattern, but the concentrated plumes in NGC 5084 indicate a disruption in this pattern, pointing towards a tumultuous past.

The detailed findings of this discovery were published in The Astrophysical Journal on December 18, shedding light on the uniqueness of NGC 5084’s structure and history.

Co-author Pamela Marcum highlighted the exceptional nature of finding two distinct pairs of columnar X-ray features in a single galaxy, emphasizing the insights they provide into the galaxy’s past events.

Despite the perplexing nature of NGC 5084’s architecture, the discovery showcases the advancements in extracting new knowledge from old data using innovative techniques like SAUNAS (Selective Amplification of Ultra Noisy Astronomical Signal).

Ultimately, unraveling the mystery behind NGC 5084’s transformation promises valuable insights into the evolution of galaxies through violent cosmic events.