🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 52 (from laksa010)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa052.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole","crawl_time":1776009809,"first_indexed_time":1554915805,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,extremetech!www,\/extreme\/289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole s443","src_root_hash":"5484518435950222452","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Astronomers Capture Historic First Photo of Black Hole | Extremetech","meta_descriptions":["It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"The image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive\nblack hole\nat the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the \"Event Horizon Telescope\" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity.\nThe M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that.\nWhat you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris,\naccording\n(Opens in a new window)\nto MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20\/20 vision.\nThe M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible.\nGeneral relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations.\nThe ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon.\nMore radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A*.\nNow read:\nWe Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week\nThis Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future\nHere’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars\nTagged In\nSupermassive Black Holes\nBlack Holes\nAstronomy\nPhysics\nSpace\nMore from Extreme","attrs_markdown":"![ZD Buyer Base](https:\/\/zdbb.net\/l\/z0WVjCBSEeGLoxIxOQVEwQ)\n\n![Scorecard Research](https:\/\/b.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6036202&cv=2.0&cj=1)\n\n[![Extreme Tech Logo](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/images\/extreme-tech-logo.svg) ![Extreme Tech Logo](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/images\/extreme-tech-logo-sm.svg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/)\n\n- [Aerospace](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/aerospace)\n- [Cars](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/cars)\n- [Computing](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/computing)\n- [Defense](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/defense)\n- [Electronics](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/electronics)\n- [Energy](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/energy)\n- [Gaming](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/gaming)\n- [Phones](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/mobile)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/science)\n- [Security](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/internet)\n\n\\$refs.firstMenuItem.focus());\"\\>\n\n- [Aerospace](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/aerospace)\n- [Cars](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/cars)\n- [Computing](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/computing)\n- [Defense](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/defense)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/deals)\n- [Electronics](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/electronics)\n- [Energy](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/energy)\n- [Gaming](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/gaming)\n- [Phones](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/mobile)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/science)\n- [Security](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/internet)\n- [Shop(Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/shop.extremetech.com\/)\n\n1. [Home](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/) \\>\n2. [Extreme](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/extreme)\n# Astronomers Capture Historic First Photo of Black Hole\nIt took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the \"Event Horizon Telescope\" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity.\n\nBy  [Ryan Whitwam](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/rwhitwam)\n\nApril 10, 2019\n\n- [Share on Facebook (opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole)\n- [Share on X (opens in a new window)](https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&text=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole)\n- [Share on Reddit (opens in a new window)](https:\/\/reddit.com\/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&title=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole)\n- [Share on Hacker News (opens in a new window)](https:\/\/news.ycombinator.com\/submitlink?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&t=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole)\n- [Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window)](https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&title=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole)\n\n![Black\\_hole\\_-\\_Messier\\_87](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM\/hero-image.fit_lim.v1678673053.jpg)\n\nThe image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive [black hole](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/black-holes) at the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the \"Event Horizon Telescope\" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity.  The M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that.  What you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris, [according(Opens in a new window)](http:\/\/news.mit.edu\/2019\/mit-haystack-first-image-black-hole-0410) to MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20\/20 vision. ![](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM\/images-2.jpg)The M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible. General relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations.  The ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon.  More radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A\\*. Now read:\n\n- [We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289101-we-might-see-the-first-ever-photo-of-a-black-hole-this-week \"We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week\")\n- [This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289070-this-dead-exoplanet-core-could-be-a-preview-of-earths-future \"This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future\")\n- [Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289065-heres-what-a-solar-eclipse-looks-like-on-mars \"Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars\")\n\n## Tagged In\n[Supermassive Black Holes](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/supermassive-black-holes) [Black Holes](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/black-holes) [Astronomy](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/astronomy) [Physics](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/physics) [Space](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/space)\n\n## More from Extreme\n[![Atlas yellow ring](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02mchFdWfsAfnxl2ReVHvRg\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1713381906.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot)\n\n[Boston Dynamics Dumps Hydraulics, Unveils All-Electric Atlas Robot](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot)\n\n04\/17\/2024\n\nBy [Ryan Whitwam](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/rwhitwam)\n\n[![Mark Zuckerberg](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/04Vx0oQyicuLXoNnqxVXPpe\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705678220.png)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024)\n\n[Zuckerberg: Meta Is Buying Up to 350,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs in 2024](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024)\n\n01\/19\/2024\n\nBy [Josh Norem](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/jnorem)\n\n[![Seagate Exos](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02mDlKuQX5zEY5AQC2pPBgk\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705598619.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives)\n\n[Seagate Begins Ramp of 30TB HAMR Drives](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives)\n\n01\/19\/2024\n\nBy [Josh Norem](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/jnorem)\n\n[![AirJet Mini Slim](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/01OBXptvrLk3c6S3TW9zz2f\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705085262.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim)\n\n[CES 2024: Solid-State Cooling Company Announces AirJet Mini Slim](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim)\n\n01\/12\/2024\n\nBy [Josh Norem](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/jnorem)\n\n[![T-Mobile SpaceX first launch](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/06xCM7K9GsthHycAwaFPcYI\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1704312891.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service)\n\n[SpaceX Launches 6 Satellites to Test Starlink Cell Service](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service)\n\n01\/04\/2024\n\nBy [Ryan Whitwam](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/author\/rwhitwam)\n\nExtremeTech Newsletter\n\nSubscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.\n\nThis newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Sign Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our [Terms of use(Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/terms-of-use#endorsement) and [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/ztg-privacy-policy). You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.\n\nThanks for Signing Up\n\nMore Articles\n\n[![Mockup of someone using NotebookLM directly in Gemini ](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/01vwb6xprZSij9WmVZmwrAv\/hero-image.fill.size_106x59.v1775836831.png)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/google-brings-notebooklm-directly-into-gemini)\n\n[Google Brings NotebookLM Directly Into Gemini](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/google-brings-notebooklm-directly-into-gemini)\n\n04\/10\/2026\n\n[![A person repairing a laptop](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/04OKxZOyy71PvqTvw90VvFS\/hero-image.fill.size_106x59.v1775836066.png)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/computing\/apple-and-lenovo-rank-as-least-repairable-laptop-brands-in-2026)\n\n[Apple and Lenovo Rank as Least Repairable Laptop Brands in 2026](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/computing\/apple-and-lenovo-rank-as-least-repairable-laptop-brands-in-2026)\n\n04\/10\/2026\n\n[![Nvidia N1 SoC on motherboard.](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/036jPFvjTc7p008ppzCxGXF\/hero-image.fill.size_106x59.v1775826032.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/computing\/nvidia-n1-engineering-motherboard-shows-arm-cpus-coming-to-laptops-soon)\n\n[Nvidia N1 Engineering Motherboard Shows ARM CPUs Coming to Laptops Soon](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/computing\/nvidia-n1-engineering-motherboard-shows-arm-cpus-coming-to-laptops-soon)\n\n04\/10\/2026\n\n[![International hacking tracker.](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/06sonmHkqdRdDr5RRxP7LVy\/hero-image.fill.size_106x59.v1775737870.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/russia-behind-recent-tp-link-router-hacking-according-to-uks-cyber-security)\n\n[Russia Behind Recent TP-Link Router Hacking, According to UK's Cyber Security Agency](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/russia-behind-recent-tp-link-router-hacking-according-to-uks-cyber-security)\n\n04\/09\/2026\n\n[![Screenshot of Gemini suggesting mental health resources](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/01qcj6hNAWMlpTAqtyV2NPo\/hero-image.fill.size_106x59.v1775752352.png)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/google-rolls-out-major-changes-to-how-gemini-handles-mental-health)\n\n[Google Rolls Out Major Changes to How Gemini Handles Mental Health](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/internet\/google-rolls-out-major-changes-to-how-gemini-handles-mental-health)\n\n04\/09\/2026\n\nSubscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.\n\nThis newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Sign Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our [Terms of use(Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/terms-of-use#endorsement) and [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/ztg-privacy-policy). You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.\n\nThanks for Signing Up\n\n- [Aerospace](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/aerospace)\n- [Cars](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/cars)\n- [Computing](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/computing)\n- [Defense](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/defense)\n- [Electronics](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/electronics)\n- [Energy](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/energy)\n- [Gaming](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/gaming)\n- [Phones](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/mobile)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/science)\n- [Security](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/internet)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/category\/deals)\n- [Shop(Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/shop.extremetech.com\/)\n\n- [(Opens in a new window) Ziffmedia Logo](https:\/\/ziffmedia.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) Askmen Logo](https:\/\/www.askmen.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) IGN Logo](https:\/\/www.ign.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) Lifehacker Logo](https:\/\/www.lifehacker.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) Mashable Logo](https:\/\/www.mashable.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) Offers Logo](https:\/\/www.offers.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) PCMag Logo](https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) RetailMeNot Logo](https:\/\/www.retailmenot.com\/)\n- [(Opens in a new window) Speedtest Logo](https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/)\n\n© 2001-2026 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. All Rights Reserved.\n\nExtremeTech is a federally registered trademark of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of ExtremeTech. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.\n\n- [About Ziff Davis (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/about)\n- [Privacy Policy (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/ztg-privacy-policy)\n- [Terms of Use (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/about\/terms)\n- [Advertise (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffmedia.com#contact)\n- [Accessibility (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/www.ziffdavis.com\/accessibility)\n- [Do Not Sell My Personal Information (Opens in a new window)](https:\/\/dsar.extremetech.com\/)\n\n- [About ExtremeTech](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/about)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/contact-us)\n- [Editorial Guidelines](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/editorial-guidelines)\n\n- AdChoices Image ![AdChoices Image Pixel](https:\/\/c.evidon.com\/pub\/icong1.png) AdChoices\n- [(Opens in a new window) TRUSTe Logo ![TRUSTe Logo](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/images\/truste.png)](https:\/\/privacy.truste.com\/privacy-seal\/validation?rid=ce211316-dfd0-4abb-8bfb-9cb70de1e37c \"TRUSTe Privacy Certification\")\n- [(Opens in a new window) Better Business Bureau (BBB) Logo ![Better Business Bureau (BBB) Logo](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/images\/bbb.png)](https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/ny\/new-york\/profile\/digital-media\/ziff-davis-llc-0121-531\/#sealclick \"Ziff Davis Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accreditation\")","attrs_readable_markdown":"![Black\\_hole\\_-\\_Messier\\_87](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM\/hero-image.fit_lim.v1678673053.jpg)\n\nThe image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive [black hole](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/black-holes) at the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the \"Event Horizon Telescope\" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity.  The M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that.  What you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris, [according(Opens in a new window)](http:\/\/news.mit.edu\/2019\/mit-haystack-first-image-black-hole-0410) to MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20\/20 vision. ![](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM\/images-2.jpg)The M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible. General relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations.  The ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon.  More radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A\\*. Now read:\n\n- [We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289101-we-might-see-the-first-ever-photo-of-a-black-hole-this-week \"We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week\")\n- [This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289070-this-dead-exoplanet-core-could-be-a-preview-of-earths-future \"This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future\")\n- [Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/289065-heres-what-a-solar-eclipse-looks-like-on-mars \"Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars\")\n\n## Tagged In\n[Supermassive Black Holes](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/supermassive-black-holes) [Black Holes](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/black-holes) [Astronomy](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/astronomy) [Physics](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/physics) [Space](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/tag\/space)\n\n## More from Extreme\n[![Atlas yellow ring](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02mchFdWfsAfnxl2ReVHvRg\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1713381906.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot)\n\n[![Mark Zuckerberg](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/04Vx0oQyicuLXoNnqxVXPpe\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705678220.png)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024)\n\n[![Seagate Exos](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/02mDlKuQX5zEY5AQC2pPBgk\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705598619.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives)\n\n[![AirJet Mini Slim](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/01OBXptvrLk3c6S3TW9zz2f\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705085262.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim)\n\n[![T-Mobile SpaceX first launch](https:\/\/i.extremetech.com\/imagery\/content-types\/06xCM7K9GsthHycAwaFPcYI\/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1704312891.jpg)](https:\/\/www.extremetech.com\/extreme\/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	The image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive black hole at the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the "Event Horizon Telescope" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity. The M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that. What you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris, according (Opens in a new window) to MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20/20 vision. The M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible. General relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations. The ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon. More radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A*. Now read: We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars Tagged In Supermassive Black Holes Black Holes Astronomy Physics Space More from Extreme
Markdown	![ZD Buyer Base](https://zdbb.net/l/z0WVjCBSEeGLoxIxOQVEwQ) ![Scorecard Research](https://b.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6036202&cv=2.0&cj=1) [![Extreme Tech Logo](https://www.extremetech.com/images/extreme-tech-logo.svg) ![Extreme Tech Logo](https://www.extremetech.com/images/extreme-tech-logo-sm.svg)](https://www.extremetech.com/) - [Aerospace](https://www.extremetech.com/category/aerospace) - [Cars](https://www.extremetech.com/category/cars) - [Computing](https://www.extremetech.com/category/computing) - [Defense](https://www.extremetech.com/category/defense) - [Electronics](https://www.extremetech.com/category/electronics) - [Energy](https://www.extremetech.com/category/energy) - [Gaming](https://www.extremetech.com/category/gaming) - [Phones](https://www.extremetech.com/category/mobile) - [Science](https://www.extremetech.com/category/science) - [Security](https://www.extremetech.com/category/internet) \$refs.firstMenuItem.focus());"\> - [Aerospace](https://www.extremetech.com/category/aerospace) - [Cars](https://www.extremetech.com/category/cars) - [Computing](https://www.extremetech.com/category/computing) - [Defense](https://www.extremetech.com/category/defense) - [Deals](https://www.extremetech.com/category/deals) - [Electronics](https://www.extremetech.com/category/electronics) - [Energy](https://www.extremetech.com/category/energy) - [Gaming](https://www.extremetech.com/category/gaming) - [Phones](https://www.extremetech.com/category/mobile) - [Science](https://www.extremetech.com/category/science) - [Security](https://www.extremetech.com/category/internet) - [Shop(Opens in a new window)](https://shop.extremetech.com/) 1. [Home](https://www.extremetech.com/) \> 2. [Extreme](https://www.extremetech.com/category/extreme) # Astronomers Capture Historic First Photo of Black Hole It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the "Event Horizon Telescope" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity. By [Ryan Whitwam](https://www.extremetech.com/author/rwhitwam) April 10, 2019 - [Share on Facebook (opens in a new window)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole) - [Share on X (opens in a new window)](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&text=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole) - [Share on Reddit (opens in a new window)](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&title=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole) - [Share on Hacker News (opens in a new window)](https://news.ycombinator.com/submitlink?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&t=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole) - [Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window)](https://share.flipboard.com/bookmarklet/popout?v=2&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extremetech.com%2Fextreme%2F289324-astronomers-capture-historic-first-photo-of-black-hole&title=Astronomers+Capture+Historic+First+Photo+of+Black+Hole) ![Black\_hole\_-\_Messier\_87](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM/hero-image.fit_lim.v1678673053.jpg) The image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive [black hole](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/black-holes) at the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the "Event Horizon Telescope" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity. The M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that. What you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris, [according(Opens in a new window)](http://news.mit.edu/2019/mit-haystack-first-image-black-hole-0410) to MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20/20 vision. ![](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM/images-2.jpg)The M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible. General relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations. The ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon. More radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A\*. Now read: - [We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289101-we-might-see-the-first-ever-photo-of-a-black-hole-this-week "We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week") - [This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289070-this-dead-exoplanet-core-could-be-a-preview-of-earths-future "This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future") - [Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289065-heres-what-a-solar-eclipse-looks-like-on-mars "Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars") ## Tagged In [Supermassive Black Holes](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/supermassive-black-holes) [Black Holes](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/black-holes) [Astronomy](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/astronomy) [Physics](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/physics) [Space](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/space) ## More from Extreme [![Atlas yellow ring](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02mchFdWfsAfnxl2ReVHvRg/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1713381906.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot) [Boston Dynamics Dumps Hydraulics, Unveils All-Electric Atlas Robot](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot) 04/17/2024 By [Ryan Whitwam](https://www.extremetech.com/author/rwhitwam) [![Mark Zuckerberg](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/04Vx0oQyicuLXoNnqxVXPpe/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705678220.png)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024) [Zuckerberg: Meta Is Buying Up to 350,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs in 2024](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024) 01/19/2024 By [Josh Norem](https://www.extremetech.com/author/jnorem) [![Seagate Exos](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02mDlKuQX5zEY5AQC2pPBgk/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705598619.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives) [Seagate Begins Ramp of 30TB HAMR Drives](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives) 01/19/2024 By [Josh Norem](https://www.extremetech.com/author/jnorem) [![AirJet Mini Slim](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/01OBXptvrLk3c6S3TW9zz2f/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705085262.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim) [CES 2024: Solid-State Cooling Company Announces AirJet Mini Slim](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim) 01/12/2024 By [Josh Norem](https://www.extremetech.com/author/jnorem) [![T-Mobile SpaceX first launch](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/06xCM7K9GsthHycAwaFPcYI/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1704312891.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service) [SpaceX Launches 6 Satellites to Test Starlink Cell Service](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service) 01/04/2024 By [Ryan Whitwam](https://www.extremetech.com/author/rwhitwam) ExtremeTech Newsletter Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Sign Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our [Terms of use(Opens in a new window)](https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use#endorsement) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-policy). You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. 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Readable Markdown	![Black\_hole\_-\_Messier\_87](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM/hero-image.fit_lim.v1678673053.jpg) The image you see above is not an out-of-focus donut. That's the supermassive [black hole](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/black-holes) at the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy, the first-ever image of a real black hole. It took a team of more than 200 astronomers to pull this off, along with eight massive radio telescopes organized into the "Event Horizon Telescope" or ETH. This is an opportunity for scientists to test some of the most complex predictions of general relativity. The M87 galaxy is a supergiant about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It's famous for the relativistic jet of plasma emanating from its core. It's also a strong radio radiation source. Those facts led astronomers to surmise that M87 hosts an active supermassive black hole in its center, and the newly released images seem to confirm that. What you're seeing in the image above is not technically the black hole itself -- the singularity in the center is unobservable by any known means because signals cannot return after crossing the event horizon boundary. That boundary in space is what you're actually seeing, silhouetted by superheated material spinning around the event horizon at nearly the speed of light. The eight radio telescopes combined to produce a magnification equivalent to reading text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk in Paris, [according(Opens in a new window)](http://news.mit.edu/2019/mit-haystack-first-image-black-hole-0410) to MIT. That's 3 million times better than human 20/20 vision. ![](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02a66Puod0daL9kGqTq8QMM/images-2.jpg)The M87 galaxy with plasma stream visible. General relativity predicts that the gravitational field of a black hole bends light into a lopsided ring. That seems like a fair description of the newly released image. The material rotating around toward us appears brighter, confirming that aspect of Einstein's calculations. The ETH began observing M87 back in 2017, but it took a great deal of effort to process the mountain of data (multiple petabytes for each station) into usable sets. Then, the verified data went to four separate teams around the world to generate images. Each one used a different technique to process the data, ensuring we see an accurate representation of the black hole's event horizon. More radio observatories are scheduled to join the ETH network soon. That will allow scientists to capture an even sharper view of M87 but also other objects. The larger array might even have enough power to peer through the heart of the Milky Way to see our own local black hole, known as Sagittarius A\*. Now read: - [We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289101-we-might-see-the-first-ever-photo-of-a-black-hole-this-week "We Might See the First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole This Week") - [This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289070-this-dead-exoplanet-core-could-be-a-preview-of-earths-future "This Dead Exoplanet Core Could Be a Preview of Earth’s Future") - [Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/289065-heres-what-a-solar-eclipse-looks-like-on-mars "Here’s What a Solar Eclipse Looks Like on Mars") ## Tagged In [Supermassive Black Holes](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/supermassive-black-holes) [Black Holes](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/black-holes) [Astronomy](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/astronomy) [Physics](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/physics) [Space](https://www.extremetech.com/tag/space) ## More from Extreme [![Atlas yellow ring](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02mchFdWfsAfnxl2ReVHvRg/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1713381906.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/boston-dynamics-dumps-hydraulics-unveils-all-electric-atlas-robot) [![Mark Zuckerberg](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/04Vx0oQyicuLXoNnqxVXPpe/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705678220.png)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/zuckerberg-meta-is-buying-up-to-350000-nvidia-h100-gpus-in-2024) [![Seagate Exos](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/02mDlKuQX5zEY5AQC2pPBgk/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705598619.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/seagate-begins-ramp-of-30tb-hamr-drives) [![AirJet Mini Slim](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/01OBXptvrLk3c6S3TW9zz2f/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1705085262.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/ces-2024-solid-state-cooling-company-announces-airjet-mini-slim) [![T-Mobile SpaceX first launch](https://i.extremetech.com/imagery/content-types/06xCM7K9GsthHycAwaFPcYI/hero-image.fill.size_164x93.v1704312891.jpg)](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/spacex-launches-6-satellites-to-test-starlink-cell-service)
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