NASA scientists have witnessed a new first – the Washington Post reports that astronomers have observed the creation of what appears to be a black hole, marking the first time the spectacle has ever been viewed.
Scientists first noticed signs of the event 30 years ago when a star more than 50 million light years away imploded. This created what scientists believe is a black hole – a region with gravity so great that not even light can escape. While the agency can't rule out other possibilities, it is relatively certain about its findings.
"We've never known before the exact birthday of a black hole, and now we can watch as it grows into a child and teenager," Kimberly Weaver, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told the source. "Learning about black holes has been like solving a puzzle, and this will help us get closer to a full understanding."
The black hole discovery is only one of many firsts associated with NASA lately. The agency recently announced that it is planning to visit nearby asteroids within the next 20 years, which will be the first time man has landed on a celestial body outside of the moon.
