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further
prove
the
existence
of
these
massive
celestial
objects,
scientists
are
studying
this
gas
cloud,
which
will
fall
into
the
super-massive
black
hole
in
question.
The
accretion
disk
that
forms
around
the
black
hole
is
extremely
important
in
astronomy.
As
of
now,
almost
nothing
is
known
about
this
disk
and
the
recent
news
hopes
to
shed
light
on
this
idea
that
has
escaped
our
understanding.
If
scientists
were
able
to
construct
an
exact
view
of
what
the
interactions
between
a
gas
cloud
and
a
black
hole
look
like,
they
would
be
able
to
extrapolate
this
to
other
galaxies.
For
example,
if
each
phase
of
the
interactions
between
the
cloud
and
the
black
hole
could
be
determined,
astronomers
would
be
able
to
look
for
distinctive
patterns
or
stages
in
the
reaction.
Also,
because
of
Earths
close
in
proximity
to
this
black
hole
and
our
ability
to
witness
the
beginning
of
the
collision,
we
have
the
opportunity
to
get
a
very
high-resolution
picture
of
what
happens
to
matter
that
approaches
the
Schwarzschild
Radius
of
a
super-massive
black
hole.
(Black
Holes
1)
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is perfect for observing the collision between the
gas
cloud
and
the
black
hole,
Sagittarius
A*.
So
far
we
can
only
detect
black
holes
by
the
X-
ray
signature
they
leave,
when
particles
get
extremely
energetic
as
they
fall
into
the
black
hole,
releasing
x-ray
radiation.
Once
the
gas
collides
with
the
black
hole,
the
gas
releases
the
attained
kinetic
energy
in
the
form
of
X-ray
radiation.
This
phenomenon
is
best
seen
by
the
Chandra
Observatory,
having
already
been
used
to
study
the
eating
behaviors
of
the
black
hole
at
the
center
of
our
galaxy.
The
telescope
has
an
angular
resolution
of
0.5
arc
seconds,
which
is
phenomenal.
In
this
case
there
can
be
no
overkill
in
uses
of
this
telescope,
as
we
need
to
collect
as
much
data
from
this
unique
event,
as
possible.
Also
because
the
Chandra
Observatory
is
in
very
high
earth
orbit,
it
can
observe
for
a
long
period
of
its
65-hour
orbit
around
the
Earth.
This
allows
it
to
provide
us
with
immense
amounts
of
data
regarding
the
interaction
as
the
gas
cloud
approaches
and
enters
the
Schwarzschild
Radius.
And
in
conclusion,
the
impending
event
of
the
gas
clouds
collision
with
Sagittarius
A*,
must
be
observed
with
great
detail;
detail
that
the
Chandra
Observatory
is
primed
to
provide.
(Chandra
1)
Diagrams
A
simulation
of
the
gas
cloud
being
ripped
apart
and
partially
consumed
by
the
black
hole
Sagittarius
A*.
(Chandra
1)
Works
Cited
"BBC
News
-
Supermassive
Black
Hole
Will
'eat'
Gas
Cloud."
BBC
-
Homepage.
Web.
15
Dec.
2011.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-
16178112>.
"Black
Holes."
Imagine
The
Universe!
Home
Page.
Web.
13
Dec.
2011.
<http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l2/black_holes.html>.
"Chandra
::
About
Chandra
::
Science
Instruments."
Chandra
X-ray
Observatory
-
NASA's
Flagship
X-ray
Telescope.
Web.
18
Dec.
2011.
<http://chandra.harvard.edu/about/science_instruments.html>.