🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 8 (from laksa014)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa008.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.space.com/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.space.com/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html","crawl_time":1775658417,"first_indexed_time":1554983131,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,space!www,\/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html s443","src_root_hash":"7770394665477845008","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"The Future of Black Hole Photography: What's Next for the Event Horizon Telescope | Space","meta_descriptions":["The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has captured the first-ever images of a black hole. But the scientists are far from done."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"The Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow.\n(Image credit: EHT Collaboration)\nThe researchers who captured the\nfirst-ever images of a black hole\ndon't plan to rest on their laurels. \nYesterday (April 10), the\nEvent Horizon Telescope\n(EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth.\nThose contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. \nThe epic achievement further\nbolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity\n, which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said.\nBut that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday.\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!\nThe new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A*, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth.\nSagittarius A* is more variable over short timescales than the M87\nblack hole\nand is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A*'s event horizon out of the data as well.\n\"We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon,\" Doeleman said. \nAnd the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution. \nRelated:\nWhat Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?\nThe EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, \"which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87,\" Doeleman said. \nThe team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added.\n\"These will all increase the imaging fidelity,\" Doeleman said. \"They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build.\"\nTo date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements.\n\"It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%,\" Doeleman said. \"So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies.\"\nAnd that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish.\n\"World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space,\" Doeleman said. \"If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly.\"\nGoing into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery.\n\"We could make movies instead of pictures,\" Doeleman said in an\nEHT talk last month\nat the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. \"We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade.\" \n(Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.)\nEHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's\nNuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array\n(NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe.\nThe\nLaser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory\n(LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun. \nAnd future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes.\n\"The subject of black holes is [ready] for prime time,\" said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative.\n\"There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole,\" Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. \"There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out.\"\nImages: Black Holes of the Universe\nWhat Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?\n8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries\nMike Wall's book about the search for alien life, \"\nOut There\n\" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by\nKarl Tate\n), is out now. Follow him on Twitter\n@michaeldwall\n. Follow us on Twitter\n@Spacedotcom\nor\nFacebook\n. \nShare your thoughts\n0\n0\n0\n0\nJoin the community\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\nAlready have an account?\nLog in\nLog In\nForgotten your password?\nReset it\nNot got an account?\nRegister\nMy Details\nUpdate your details below...\nKeep in the Know\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\nValidate Your Mobile No.\nWe have sent a code to\n. Please enter it below to verify your account.\nUpdate mobile number\nResend code\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.\nCancel\nembed-reactions.hint_heading\nembed-reactions.hint_subheading\nValidate Your Email Address\nWe have sent a code to\n. Please enter it below to verify your account.\nUpdate email address\nResend code\nUpdate Your Email Address\nYou may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.\nCancel\nCreate a Username\nThis will be publicly viewable so make it something you like!\nReset your password\nEnter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.\nCheck your inbox\nIf your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.\nSet new password\nPlease enter your new password below.\nLeaderboard\nRank\nPlayer\nScore\nTime\nMichael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for\nSpace.com\nand joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic  spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, \"Out There,\" was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p\/?c1=2&c2=10055482&cv=4.4.0&cj=1)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html#main)\n\nOpen menu\n\n[![Space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/media\/img\/spc-logo-w.svg) Space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/)\n\n[Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter](https:\/\/www.space.com\/newsletter)\n\n[RSS](https:\/\/www.space.com\/feeds.xml)\n\nSign in\n\n- View Profile\n- Sign out\n\nSearch\n\n- [Space Exploration](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration)\n  - [Launches & Spacecraft](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/launches-spacecraft)\n    - [Private spaceflight](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/private-spaceflight)\n    - [Human spaceflight](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight)\n    - [SpaceX](https:\/\/www.space.com\/tag\/spacex)\n    - [Blue Origin](https:\/\/www.space.com\/tag\/blue-origin)\n    - 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There\\&\\#039;s a red blurry ring around the orb, but the jets are slightly jutting out from the ring.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SXUJEe5z5TTEX6dJnju3Xb.png) Galaxies Record-breaking 'space laser' erupts from merging galaxies 8 billion light-years away](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/galaxies\/record-breaking-space-laser-erupts-from-merging-galaxies-8-billion-light-years-away \"Record-breaking 'space laser' erupts from merging galaxies 8 billion light-years away\")\n\n[![A stunning image of the star forming region W51 created by the JWST](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/o9NYZw2KXDzhRUeQNFGqBM.png) James Webb Space Telescope Stunning new James Webb Space Telescope images reveal 'hidden' stars being born](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/james-webb-space-telescope\/stunning-new-james-webb-space-telescope-images-reveal-hidden-stars-being-born \"Stunning new James Webb Space Telescope images reveal 'hidden' stars being born\")\n\n[![Two galaxies are pictured colliding in a dark sky dotted with stars. The orange galactic cores are visible in the center of the image and long antennae-like spiral arms can be seen stretching into space on either side.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XqD328YcaR6HyiUGubqzDP.jpg) Astrophotography Astrophotographer captures spectacular photo of Antennae Galaxies dueling in deep space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/stargazing\/astrophotography\/astrophotographer-captures-spectacular-photo-of-antennae-galaxies-dueling-in-deep-space \"Astrophotographer captures spectacular photo of Antennae Galaxies dueling in deep space\")\n\n[![A black and white image shows a gray background speckled with dots with a crosshairs and a box circling a specific dot in the center of the image](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Q9SkghtMbVRSKWQcK4TptD.png) Comets Will a bright comet adorn our early spring sky? 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Will it go supernova?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/stars\/astronomers-just-watched-a-star-1-540-times-the-size-of-our-sun-transform-into-a-hypergiant-will-it-go-supernova \"Astronomers just watched a star 1,540 times the size of our sun transform into a hypergiant. Will it go supernova?\")\n\n[![A simulation of a vast area of the cosmos made using a supercomputer and based upon the standard model of cosmology.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CBnQfLVkEnrZgDpX4CvV95.png) Dark Universe How astronomers are unveiling the 'skeleton' of the universe](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/dark-universe\/how-astronomers-are-unveiling-the-skeleton-of-the-universe \"How astronomers are unveiling the 'skeleton' of the universe\")\n\n[![An illustration shows dark matter powering the heart of a spiral galaxy](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/69kRCSZKQ5H5nddwqCTGR3.png) Dark Universe Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/dark-universe\/could-the-milky-way-galaxys-supermassive-black-hole-actually-be-a-clump-of-dark-matter \"Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?\")\n\n[![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\\&\\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/james-webb-space-telescope\/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes \"James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes\")\n\n[![An illustration of a fiery red explosion in space from which a beam of green concentric circles protrudes.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/he6trTUsHbFfw5rE7UP4wM.png) Astronomy Astronomers missed a space explosion as powerful as a billion suns — until they spotted its echo](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/astronomers-missed-a-space-explosion-as-powerful-as-a-billion-suns-until-they-spotted-its-echo \"Astronomers missed a space explosion as powerful as a billion suns — until they spotted its echo\")\n\n[![An illustration of a pulsar lurking in Galactic Center close to the supermassive black hole Sgr A\\*](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YR4dCMwPVVT2GNEvv6LHqb.png) Stars The Milky Way may be hiding a big secret at its heart: an extremely magnetic dead star](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/stars\/the-milky-way-may-be-hiding-a-big-secret-at-its-heart-an-extremely-magnetic-dead-star \"The Milky Way may be hiding a big secret at its heart: an extremely magnetic dead star\")\n\n[![A cylinder-like shape with stars within. 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Ripples in spacetime could finally solve 'Hubble tension'\")\n\n[![M87\\* and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow \"Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'\")\n\nTrending\n\n- [Artemis 2 LIVE: Moon flyby mission updates](https:\/\/www.space.com\/news\/live\/artemis-2-nasa-moon-mission-updates-april-6-2026#mrfhud=true)\n- [Amazon Spring Sale space deals](https:\/\/www.space.com\/technology\/amazon-spring-sale-deals-for-stargazing-2026-huge-savings-on-telescopes-binoculars-and-cameras)\n- [Night sky tonight\\!](https:\/\/www.space.com\/news\/live\/night-sky-what-you-can-see-tonight-april-2)\n- [Aurora Forecast](https:\/\/www.space.com\/live\/aurora-forecast-northern-lights-possible-tonight-and-easter-weekend-april-2-6)\n- [Space Calendar](https:\/\/www.space.com\/32286-space-calendar.html)\n- [Live 4K Sen video from space\\!](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/earth\/live-4k-video-from-space-see-earth-from-the-iss-with-sharp-eyed-sen-cameras)\n- [Best Drones](https:\/\/www.space.com\/best-drones)\n- [Lego Star Wars deals](https:\/\/www.space.com\/lego-star-wars-deals)\n- [Next Full Moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16830-full-moon-calendar.html)\n- [Best Telescopes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15693-telescopes-beginners-telescope-reviews-buying-guide.html)\n- [Solar System Planets](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16080-solar-system-planets.html)\n- [Best Star Projectors](https:\/\/www.space.com\/best-star-projectors)\n- [Best Binoculars](https:\/\/www.space.com\/26021-best-binoculars.html)\n\n1. [Astronomy](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy)\n2. [Black Holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes)\n# The Future of Black Hole Photography: What's Next for the Event Horizon Telescope\n[News](https:\/\/www.space.com\/news)\n\nBy [Mike Wall](https:\/\/www.space.com\/author\/mike-wall)\n\npublished\n\nApril 11, 2019\n\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https:\/\/www.space.com\/41418-about-us.html#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure).\n\nClick for next article\n\n![This photo is the historic first image of a supermassive black hole ever recorded. It shows the shadow of the monster black hole inside the distant galaxy M87.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wS5ytyMNaRpRMuCp62yjKn.jpg)\n\nThe Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow. (Image credit: EHT Collaboration)\n\nShare\n\n- Copy link\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html)\n- [X](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=The+Future+of+Black+Hole+Photography%3A+What%27s+Next+for+the+Event+Horizon+Telescope&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html)\n- [Whatsapp](whatsapp:\/\/send?text=The+Future+of+Black+Hole+Photography%3A+What%27s+Next+for+the+Event+Horizon+Telescope+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html?fwa)\n- [Reddit](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html&title=The+Future+of+Black+Hole+Photography%3A+What%27s+Next+for+the+Event+Horizon+Telescope)\n- [Pinterest](https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html&media=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net%2FwS5ytyMNaRpRMuCp62yjKn.jpg)\n- [Flipboard](https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?title=The+Future+of+Black+Hole+Photography%3A+What%27s+Next+for+the+Event+Horizon+Telescope&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fblack-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html)\n- [Email](mailto:?subject=I%20found%20this%20webpage&body=Hi,%20I%20found%20this%20webpage%20and%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20it%20https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-photography-event-horizon-telescope-future.html)\n\nShare this article\n\nJoin the conversation\n\n[Follow us](https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=space.com)\n\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n\nNewsletter\n\nGet the Space.com Newsletter\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\n***\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/terms-conditions\\\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/privacy-policy\\\/). 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Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us\\!\n\nSubscribe +\n\n![Strange New Words](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Mk2LrCm68RFHzQhNyQaH2Y.jpg)\n\nTwice a month\n\nStrange New Words\n\nSpace.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club. Read a sci-fi short story every month and join a virtual community of fellow science fiction fans\\!\n\nSubscribe +\n\n***\nAn account already exists for this email address, please log in.\n\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n\nThe researchers who captured the [first-ever images of a black hole](https:\/\/www.space.com\/first-black-hole-photo-by-event-horizon-telescope.html) don't plan to rest on their laurels.\n\nYesterday (April 10), the [Event Horizon Telescope](https:\/\/www.space.com\/how-event-horizon-telescope-photographs-black-holes.html) (EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth.\n\nThose contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.\n\nYou may like\n\n- [![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\\&\\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/james-webb-space-telescope\/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes)\n- [![(Main) An illustration of the supermassive black hole M87\\* (Inset) the NASA\/JAXA mission XRISM](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/7m3KGMqKhwNrKVJp48qVvT.png) NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/nasa-x-ray-spacecraft-stares-into-the-eye-of-the-storm-swirling-around-supermassive-black-holes)\n- [![An illustration shows dark matter powering the heart of a spiral galaxy](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/69kRCSZKQ5H5nddwqCTGR3.png) Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/dark-universe\/could-the-milky-way-galaxys-supermassive-black-hole-actually-be-a-clump-of-dark-matter)\n\n**Related:** [**Historic First Images of a Black Hole Show Einstein Was Right (Again)**](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html)\n\nThe epic achievement further [bolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html), which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said.\n\nBut that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday.\n\nAnd we could soon get a look at another black hole as well.\n\nGet the Space.com Newsletter\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/terms-conditions\\\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/privacy-policy\\\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/0gEcwi00\/first-ever-black-hole-image-released?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\nThe new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A\\*, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth.\n\nSagittarius A\\* is more variable over short timescales than the M87 [black hole](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15421-black-holes-facts-formation-discovery-sdcmp.html) and is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A\\*'s event horizon out of the data as well.\n\n\"We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon,\" Doeleman said.\n\nWhat to read next\n\n- [![M87\\* and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow)\n- [![A illustration of a tidal disruption event in which a star is devoured by a black hole](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ziLUfcpZKdNodG7ttnHh3e.png) Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/scientists-may-have-found-a-missing-link-black-hole-ripping-up-and-devouring-a-star)\n- [![Images of the twisted jet of matter OJ287 erupting from a distant black hole as seen by the EHT](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tgMzuuacJWYAtq6kqNFh8J.png) Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/astronomers-watch-2-supermassive-black-holes-caught-in-a-twisted-dance-with-never-before-seen-jet-behavior)\n\nAnd the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution.\n\n**Related:** [**What Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?**](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html)\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/Jk3aNiek\/black-hole-image-explained-by-theoretical-physicist?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\nThe EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, \"which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87,\" Doeleman said.\n\nThe team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added.\n\n\"These will all increase the imaging fidelity,\" Doeleman said. \"They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build.\"\n\nTo date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements.\n\n\"It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%,\" Doeleman said. \"So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies.\"\n\nAnd that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish.\n\n\"World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space,\" Doeleman said. \"If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly.\"\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/lRstAtsX\/first-black-hole-image-take-deep-dive-in-eso-mini-doc?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\nGoing into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery.\n\n\"We could make movies instead of pictures,\" Doeleman said in an [EHT talk last month](https:\/\/eventhorizontelescope.org\/blog\/eht-planetary-effort-photograph-black-hole) at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. \"We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade.\"\n\n(Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.)\n\nEHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's [Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array](https:\/\/www.space.com\/37182-nasa-nustar-black-hole-observatory-5-images-5-years.html) (NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe.\n\nThe [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory](https:\/\/www.space.com\/31894-gravitational-waves-ligo-search-complete-coverage.html) (LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun.\n\nAnd future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes.\n\n\"The subject of black holes is \\[ready\\] for prime time,\" said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative.\n\n\"There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole,\" Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. \"There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out.\"\n\n- [Images: Black Holes of the Universe](https:\/\/www.space.com\/31-black-holes-universe.html)\n- [What Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html)\n- [8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15936-astronomy-mysteries-science-countdown.html)\n\n*Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, \"*[*Out There*](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FOut-There-Scientific-Antimatter-Cosmically%2Fdp%2F1538729377%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-2738472146419429680-20)*\" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by*[*Karl Tate*](http:\/\/www.karltate.com\/)*), is out now. Follow him on Twitter* [*@michaeldwall*](http:\/\/twitter.com\/michaeldwall)*. Follow us on Twitter*[*@Spacedotcom*](http:\/\/twitter.com\/spacedotcom) *or*[*Facebook*](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/spacecom)*.*\n\n**Share your thoughts**\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\nRandom QuizPlay a Random Quiz\n\nFilter by Category\n\nJoin the community\n\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\n\nI'm in\\!\n\nNot right now\n\nAlready have an account? Log in\n\nThis page will close automatically once you have completed the authorisation process\n\nMy Details\n\nUpdate your details below...\n\nKeep in the Know\n\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\n\nOK\n\nValidate Your Mobile No.\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\n\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. 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Enter that code below to reset your password.\n\nSet new password\n\nPlease enter your new password below.\n\nLeaderboard\n\n| Rank | Player | Score | Time |\n|---|---|---|---|\n\nLog In or Register\n\nMore Quizzes\n\nLog Out\n\n![Mike Wall](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ko9uBeoLfpGrWgq3eDjap3.jpg)\n\n[Mike Wall](https:\/\/www.space.com\/author\/mike-wall)\n\nSocial Links Navigation\n\nSpaceflight and Tech Editor\n\nMichael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for [Space.com](https:\/\/www.space.com\/) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, \"Out There,\" was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.\n\nRead more\n\n[![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\\&\\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/james-webb-space-telescope\/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes \"James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes\")\n\n[![(Main) An illustration of the supermassive black hole M87\\* (Inset) the NASA\/JAXA mission XRISM](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/7m3KGMqKhwNrKVJp48qVvT.png) Black Holes NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/nasa-x-ray-spacecraft-stares-into-the-eye-of-the-storm-swirling-around-supermassive-black-holes \"NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes\")\n\n[![An illustration shows dark matter powering the heart of a spiral galaxy](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/69kRCSZKQ5H5nddwqCTGR3.png) Dark Universe Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/dark-universe\/could-the-milky-way-galaxys-supermassive-black-hole-actually-be-a-clump-of-dark-matter \"Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?\")\n\n[![M87\\* and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow \"Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'\")\n\n[![A illustration of a tidal disruption event in which a star is devoured by a black hole](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ziLUfcpZKdNodG7ttnHh3e.png) Black Holes Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/scientists-may-have-found-a-missing-link-black-hole-ripping-up-and-devouring-a-star \"Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star\")\n\n[![Images of the twisted jet of matter OJ287 erupting from a distant black hole as seen by the EHT](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tgMzuuacJWYAtq6kqNFh8J.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/astronomers-watch-2-supermassive-black-holes-caught-in-a-twisted-dance-with-never-before-seen-jet-behavior \"Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior\")\n\nLatest in Black Holes\n\n[![A black circle in the center of the illustration surrounded by swirling glowing patterns spiraling outward from it. The left side is colored red while the right side is colored purple.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JjhmXS8mFkbE5qXSnb8ggA.png) Black Holes Could our universe exist because black holes ate up all the antimatter?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/could-our-universe-exist-because-black-holes-ate-up-all-the-antimatter \"Could our universe exist because black holes ate up all the antimatter?\")\n\n[![An illustration of the supermassive black hole IRAS 05189-2524 which the XRISM spacecraft watched spring back to life](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EfPEznfetDrGHyxBc9hwwQ.png) Black Holes X-ray spacecraft watches monster black hole wake up and fire cosmic bullets at starburst galaxy](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/x-ray-spacecraft-watches-monster-black-hole-wake-up-and-fire-cosmic-bullets-at-starburst-galaxy \"X-ray spacecraft watches monster black hole wake up and fire cosmic bullets at starburst galaxy\")\n\n[![ Illustration of an eccentric neutron star–black hole binary. The neutron star’s path is shown in blue and the black hole’s motion in orange as the two objects orbit each other.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EmaYyXsYbtCknzr4JwN2JD.png) Black Holes Black hole and neutron star mergers push the laws of physics with their odd orbits](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/black-hole-and-neutron-star-mergers-push-the-laws-of-physics-with-their-odd-orbits \"Black hole and neutron star mergers push the laws of physics with their odd orbits\")\n\n[![An illustration of colliding black holes setting the fabric of space ringing with gravitational waves.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AU4KyD58keEkWydH4ooKJh.png) Black Holes The universe is humming with ripples in spacetime: Scientists just doubled our catalog of black hole and neutron star collisions](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/the-universe-is-humming-with-ripples-in-spacetime-scientists-just-doubled-our-catalog-of-black-hole-and-neutron-star-collisions \"The universe is humming with ripples in spacetime: Scientists just doubled our catalog of black hole and neutron star collisions\")\n\n[![An image showing blobs of yellow and purple light with insets of illustrations showing what these blobs could represent.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/BdHb23dnDCzfjWzeVfdgyC.png) Black Holes Black holes! Supernovas! Merging galaxies! Oh my! Largest radio survey of the cosmos ever reveals 13.7 million powerful cosmic objects and events](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/black-holes-supernovas-merging-galaxies-oh-my-largest-radio-survey-of-the-cosmos-ever-reveals-13-7-million-powerful-cosmic-objects-and-events \"Black holes! Supernovas! Merging galaxies! Oh my! Largest radio survey of the cosmos ever reveals 13.7 million powerful cosmic objects and events\")\n\n[![An illustration of two black circles in the center of the screen separated by a red dot. There\\&\\#039;s a glowing blue circle around both black circles and a red semi-circle at the bottom.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/VAGT8xLGFWzj5UeRpR7pEe.png) Black Holes Starlight warped in the fabric of spacetime could help us find hidden black holes dancing together](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/black-holes\/starlight-warped-in-the-fabric-of-spacetime-could-help-us-find-hidden-black-holes-dancing-together \"Starlight warped in the fabric of spacetime could help us find hidden black holes dancing together\")\n\nLatest in News\n\n[![People hold signs outside on a sunny day in protest of NASA budget cuts, July 20, 2025.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LRPke5wosXcT3F76si4jUM.jpg) Astronomy Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again \"Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again\")\n\n[![Artemis 2 Moon Flyby Today](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qE5kCjgsHDkrDBTX4rygoX.png) Artemis NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/nasa-artemis-2-astronauts-to-make-historic-moon-flyby-today-heres-what-to-expect-hour-by-hour-timeline \"NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)\")\n\n[![Visualization of the Artemis 2 Orion capsule approaching the moon, shortly before it entered lunar space in the early-morning hours of April 6, 2026.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Mxgmd8e2nUufdnLVy5qxyf.jpg) Artemis Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/humanity-is-back-at-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-arrive-in-lunar-space \"Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space\")\n\n[![The Artemis 2 crew took this photo on April 4, 2026, Day 4 of their journey to the moon. The moon is oriented with the south pole at the top. Orientale Basin is on the right edge of the lunar disk in this image. Artemis 2 marks the first time that humans have seen the entire basin. The astronauts will continue to observe Orientale from multiple angles as they approach the moon and throughout the lunar flyby. Orientale is the textbook multi-ring impact basin used as a baseline to compare other impact craters on rocky worlds from Mercury to Pluto.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oVuH9LJDfhPZqkCkanSFrY.jpg) Artemis When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/when-the-moon-hits-your-eye-from-your-orion-ship-up-high-thats-a-mare \"When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2\")\n\n[![Two images with a view of an NASA Orion spacecraft on left and space toilet on right.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XhYwpeuFZFXywkGEqVuReJ.png) Artemis The breakout star of NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission isn't an astronaut — it's the space toilet](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/the-breakout-star-of-nasas-artemis-2-mission-to-the-moon-isnt-an-astronaut-its-the-space-toilet \"The breakout star of NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission isn't an astronaut — it's the space toilet\")\n\n[![Screenshot from a NASA animation showing the final stages of the solar ecliipse that Artemis 2 astronauts will see from their vantage point beyond the moon on April 6, 2026. The sun is starting to emerge from the moon\\&\\#039;s left limb.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hAVR2rPXCZEqW2s3GY9DDQ.jpg) Artemis Artemis 2 astronauts are about to see one of the rarest skywatching sights of all — a solar eclipse from beyond the moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/artemis-2-astronauts-are-about-to-see-one-of-the-rarest-skywatching-sights-of-all-a-solar-eclipse-from-beyond-the-moon \"Artemis 2 astronauts are about to see one of the rarest skywatching sights of all — a solar eclipse from beyond the moon\")\n\nMORE FROM SPACE...\n\n1. [![People hold signs outside on a sunny day in protest of NASA budget cuts, July 20, 2025.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LRPke5wosXcT3F76si4jUM.jpg)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again \"Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again\")\n   \n   1\n   \n   [Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again)\n2. 2\n   \n   [Astronaut Victor Glover is the latest in a long line of Black American explorers − including York, the enslaved man who played a key role in the Lewis and Clark expedition](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight\/astronaut-victor-glover-is-the-latest-in-a-long-line-of-black-american-explorers-including-york-the-enslaved-man-who-played-a-key-role-in-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition)\n3. 3\n   \n   [NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/nasa-artemis-2-astronauts-to-make-historic-moon-flyby-today-heres-what-to-expect-hour-by-hour-timeline)\n4. 4\n   \n   [Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/humanity-is-back-at-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-arrive-in-lunar-space)\n5. 5\n   \n   [When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/when-the-moon-hits-your-eye-from-your-orion-ship-up-high-thats-a-mare)\n\nSpace is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.\n\nClose\n\nPlease login or signup to comment\n\nPlease wait...\n\nLogin\n\nSign Up","attrs_readable_markdown":"![This photo is the historic first image of a supermassive black hole ever recorded. It shows the shadow of the monster black hole inside the distant galaxy M87.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wS5ytyMNaRpRMuCp62yjKn.jpg)\n\nThe Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow. (Image credit: EHT Collaboration)\n\nThe researchers who captured the [first-ever images of a black hole](https:\/\/www.space.com\/first-black-hole-photo-by-event-horizon-telescope.html) don't plan to rest on their laurels.\n\nYesterday (April 10), the [Event Horizon Telescope](https:\/\/www.space.com\/how-event-horizon-telescope-photographs-black-holes.html) (EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth.\n\nThose contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.\n\nThe epic achievement further [bolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html), which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said.\n\nBut that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday.\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\nThe new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A\\*, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth.\n\nSagittarius A\\* is more variable over short timescales than the M87 [black hole](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15421-black-holes-facts-formation-discovery-sdcmp.html) and is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A\\*'s event horizon out of the data as well.\n\n\"We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon,\" Doeleman said.\n\nAnd the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution.\n\n**Related:** [**What Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?**](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html)\n\nThe EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, \"which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87,\" Doeleman said.\n\nThe team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added.\n\n\"These will all increase the imaging fidelity,\" Doeleman said. \"They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build.\"\n\nTo date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements.\n\n\"It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%,\" Doeleman said. \"So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies.\"\n\nAnd that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish.\n\n\"World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space,\" Doeleman said. \"If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly.\"\n\nGoing into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery.\n\n\"We could make movies instead of pictures,\" Doeleman said in an [EHT talk last month](https:\/\/eventhorizontelescope.org\/blog\/eht-planetary-effort-photograph-black-hole) at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. \"We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade.\"\n\n(Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.)\n\nEHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's [Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array](https:\/\/www.space.com\/37182-nasa-nustar-black-hole-observatory-5-images-5-years.html) (NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe.\n\nThe [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory](https:\/\/www.space.com\/31894-gravitational-waves-ligo-search-complete-coverage.html) (LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun.\n\nAnd future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes.\n\n\"The subject of black holes is \\[ready\\] for prime time,\" said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative.\n\n\"There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole,\" Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. \"There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out.\"\n\n- [Images: Black Holes of the Universe](https:\/\/www.space.com\/31-black-holes-universe.html)\n- [What Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html)\n- [8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15936-astronomy-mysteries-science-countdown.html)\n\n*Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, \"*[*Out There*](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FOut-There-Scientific-Antimatter-Cosmically%2Fdp%2F1538729377%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-2738472146419429680-20)*\" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by*[*Karl Tate*](http:\/\/www.karltate.com\/)*), is out now. Follow him on Twitter* [*@michaeldwall*](http:\/\/twitter.com\/michaeldwall)*. Follow us on Twitter*[*@Spacedotcom*](http:\/\/twitter.com\/spacedotcom) *or*[*Facebook*](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/spacecom)*.*\n\n**Share your thoughts**\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\nJoin the community\n\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\n\nAlready have an account? Log in\n\nMy Details\n\nUpdate your details below...\n\nKeep in the Know\n\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\n\nValidate Your Mobile No.\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\n\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_heading\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_subheading\n\nValidate Your Email Address\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Email Address\n\nYou may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.\n\nCreate a Username\n\nThis will be publicly viewable so make it something you like\\!\n\nReset your password\n\nEnter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.\n\nCheck your inbox\n\nIf your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.\n\nSet new password\n\nPlease enter your new password below.\n\nLeaderboard\n\n| Rank | Player | Score | Time |\n|---|---|---|---|\n\nMichael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for [Space.com](https:\/\/www.space.com\/) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, \"Out There,\" was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	The Future of Black Hole Photography: What's Next for the Event Horizon Telescope \| Space
Meta Description	The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has captured the first-ever images of a black hole. But the scientists are far from done.
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Boilerpipe Text	The Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow. (Image credit: EHT Collaboration) The researchers who captured the first-ever images of a black hole don't plan to rest on their laurels. Yesterday (April 10), the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth. Those contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. The epic achievement further bolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity , which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said. But that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday. Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! The new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth. Sagittarius A is more variable over short timescales than the M87 black hole and is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A*'s event horizon out of the data as well. "We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon," Doeleman said. And the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution. Related: What Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)? The EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, "which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87," Doeleman said. The team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added. "These will all increase the imaging fidelity," Doeleman said. "They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build." To date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements. "It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%," Doeleman said. "So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies." And that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish. "World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space," Doeleman said. "If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly." Going into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery. "We could make movies instead of pictures," Doeleman said in an EHT talk last month at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. "We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade." (Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.) EHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun. And future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes. "The subject of black holes is [ready] for prime time," said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative. "There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole," Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. "There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out." Images: Black Holes of the Universe What Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)? 8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook . Share your thoughts 0 0 0 0 Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. Already have an account? Log in Log In Forgotten your password? Reset it Not got an account? Register My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? Validate Your Mobile No. We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update mobile number Resend code Update Your Mobile No. You may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide. Cancel embed-reactions.hint_heading embed-reactions.hint_subheading Validate Your Email Address We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update email address Resend code Update Your Email Address You may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide. Cancel Create a Username This will be publicly viewable so make it something you like! Reset your password Enter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password. Check your inbox If your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password. Set new password Please enter your new password below. Leaderboard Rank Player Score Time Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
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Why astronomers are getting excited about Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS)](https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/will-a-bright-comet-adorn-our-early-spring-sky-why-astronomers-are-getting-excited-about-comet-c-2026-a1-maps "Will a bright comet adorn our early spring sky? Why astronomers are getting excited about Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS)") [![Pink structures looks like dots all across the image. There\&\#039;s a boxout that shows a magnified view of one section. 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[![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\&\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes "James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes") [![An illustration of a fiery red explosion in space from which a beam of green concentric circles protrudes.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/he6trTUsHbFfw5rE7UP4wM.png) Astronomy Astronomers missed a space explosion as powerful as a billion suns — until they spotted its echo](https://www.space.com/astronomy/astronomers-missed-a-space-explosion-as-powerful-as-a-billion-suns-until-they-spotted-its-echo "Astronomers missed a space explosion as powerful as a billion suns — until they spotted its echo") [![An illustration of a pulsar lurking in Galactic Center close to the supermassive black hole Sgr A\](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YR4dCMwPVVT2GNEvv6LHqb.png) Stars The Milky Way may be hiding a big secret at its heart: an extremely magnetic dead star](https://www.space.com/astronomy/stars/the-milky-way-may-be-hiding-a-big-secret-at-its-heart-an-extremely-magnetic-dead-star "The Milky Way may be hiding a big secret at its heart: an extremely magnetic dead star") [![A cylinder-like shape with stars within. 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Ripples in spacetime could finally solve 'Hubble tension'") [![M87\ and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow "Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'") Trending - [Artemis 2 LIVE: Moon flyby mission updates](https://www.space.com/news/live/artemis-2-nasa-moon-mission-updates-april-6-2026#mrfhud=true) - [Amazon Spring Sale space deals](https://www.space.com/technology/amazon-spring-sale-deals-for-stargazing-2026-huge-savings-on-telescopes-binoculars-and-cameras) - [Night sky tonight\!](https://www.space.com/news/live/night-sky-what-you-can-see-tonight-april-2) - [Aurora Forecast](https://www.space.com/live/aurora-forecast-northern-lights-possible-tonight-and-easter-weekend-april-2-6) - [Space Calendar](https://www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html) - [Live 4K Sen video from space\!](https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/live-4k-video-from-space-see-earth-from-the-iss-with-sharp-eyed-sen-cameras) - [Best Drones](https://www.space.com/best-drones) - [Lego Star Wars deals](https://www.space.com/lego-star-wars-deals) - [Next Full Moon](https://www.space.com/16830-full-moon-calendar.html) - [Best Telescopes](https://www.space.com/15693-telescopes-beginners-telescope-reviews-buying-guide.html) - [Solar System Planets](https://www.space.com/16080-solar-system-planets.html) - [Best Star Projectors](https://www.space.com/best-star-projectors) - [Best Binoculars](https://www.space.com/26021-best-binoculars.html) 1. [Astronomy](https://www.space.com/astronomy) 2. [Black Holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes) # The Future of Black Hole Photography: What's Next for the Event Horizon Telescope [News](https://www.space.com/news) By [Mike Wall](https://www.space.com/author/mike-wall) published April 11, 2019 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https://www.space.com/41418-about-us.html#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure). Click for next article ![This photo is the historic first image of a supermassive black hole ever recorded. It shows the shadow of the monster black hole inside the distant galaxy M87.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wS5ytyMNaRpRMuCp62yjKn.jpg) The Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow. 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You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful * Want to add more newsletters? ![Daily Newsletter](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vfpcxVDrtfCysGSjzYjeSg.png) Delivered daily Daily Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! Subscribe + ![Watch This Space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tjzmFi262iKuxrcCtSghKg.jpg) Once a month Watch This Space Sign up to our monthly entertainment newsletter to keep up with all our coverage of the latest sci-fi and space movies, tv shows, games and books. Subscribe + ![Night Sky This Week](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qsHaEcQ6H695rhBoNZdK5g.jpg) Once a week Night Sky This Week Discover this week's must-see night sky events, moon phases, and stunning astrophotos. Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us\! Subscribe + ![Strange New Words](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mk2LrCm68RFHzQhNyQaH2Y.jpg) Twice a month Strange New Words Space.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club. Read a sci-fi short story every month and join a virtual community of fellow science fiction fans\! Subscribe + *** An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter The researchers who captured the [first-ever images of a black hole](https://www.space.com/first-black-hole-photo-by-event-horizon-telescope.html) don't plan to rest on their laurels. Yesterday (April 10), the [Event Horizon Telescope](https://www.space.com/how-event-horizon-telescope-photographs-black-holes.html) (EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth. Those contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. You may like - [![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\&\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes) - [![(Main) An illustration of the supermassive black hole M87\* (Inset) the NASA/JAXA mission XRISM](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7m3KGMqKhwNrKVJp48qVvT.png) NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/nasa-x-ray-spacecraft-stares-into-the-eye-of-the-storm-swirling-around-supermassive-black-holes) - [![An illustration shows dark matter powering the heart of a spiral galaxy](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/69kRCSZKQ5H5nddwqCTGR3.png) Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?](https://www.space.com/astronomy/dark-universe/could-the-milky-way-galaxys-supermassive-black-hole-actually-be-a-clump-of-dark-matter) Related: [Historic First Images of a Black Hole Show Einstein Was Right (Again)](https://www.space.com/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html) The epic achievement further [bolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity](https://www.space.com/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html), which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said. But that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday. And we could soon get a look at another black hole as well. Get the Space.com Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! By signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/) and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/0gEcwi00/first-ever-black-hole-image-released?list=9wzCTV4g) The new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A\, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth. Sagittarius A\ is more variable over short timescales than the M87 [black hole](https://www.space.com/15421-black-holes-facts-formation-discovery-sdcmp.html) and is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A\'s event horizon out of the data as well. "We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon," Doeleman said. What to read next - [![M87\ and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow) - [![A illustration of a tidal disruption event in which a star is devoured by a black hole](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ziLUfcpZKdNodG7ttnHh3e.png) Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/scientists-may-have-found-a-missing-link-black-hole-ripping-up-and-devouring-a-star) - [![Images of the twisted jet of matter OJ287 erupting from a distant black hole as seen by the EHT](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tgMzuuacJWYAtq6kqNFh8J.png) Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/astronomers-watch-2-supermassive-black-holes-caught-in-a-twisted-dance-with-never-before-seen-jet-behavior) And the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution. Related: [What Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https://www.space.com/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html) [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/Jk3aNiek/black-hole-image-explained-by-theoretical-physicist?list=9wzCTV4g) The EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, "which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87," Doeleman said. The team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added. "These will all increase the imaging fidelity," Doeleman said. "They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build." To date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements. "It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%," Doeleman said. "So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies." And that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish. "World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space," Doeleman said. "If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly." [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/lRstAtsX/first-black-hole-image-take-deep-dive-in-eso-mini-doc?list=9wzCTV4g) Going into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery. "We could make movies instead of pictures," Doeleman said in an [EHT talk last month](https://eventhorizontelescope.org/blog/eht-planetary-effort-photograph-black-hole) at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. "We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade." (Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.) EHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's [Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array](https://www.space.com/37182-nasa-nustar-black-hole-observatory-5-images-5-years.html) (NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe. The [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory](https://www.space.com/31894-gravitational-waves-ligo-search-complete-coverage.html) (LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun. And future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes. "The subject of black holes is \[ready\] for prime time," said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative. "There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole," Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. "There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out." - [Images: Black Holes of the Universe](https://www.space.com/31-black-holes-universe.html) - [What Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https://www.space.com/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html) - [8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries](https://www.space.com/15936-astronomy-mysteries-science-countdown.html) Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "[Out There](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FOut-There-Scientific-Antimatter-Cosmically%2Fdp%2F1538729377%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-2738472146419429680-20)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by[Karl Tate](http://www.karltate.com/)), is out now. Follow him on Twitter [@michaeldwall](http://twitter.com/michaeldwall). Follow us on Twitter[@Spacedotcom](http://twitter.com/spacedotcom) or[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/spacecom). Share your thoughts 0 0 0 0 Random QuizPlay a Random Quiz Filter by Category Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. I'm in\! Not right now Already have an account? Log in This page will close automatically once you have completed the authorisation process My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? OK Validate Your Mobile No. We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update Your Mobile No. You may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide. embed-reactions.hint\_heading embed-reactions.hint\_subheading Validate Your Email Address We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update Your Email Address You may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide. Create a Username This will be publicly viewable so make it something you like\! Reset your password Enter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password. Check your inbox If your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password. Set new password Please enter your new password below. Leaderboard \| Rank \| Player \| Score \| Time \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\| Log In or Register More Quizzes Log Out ![Mike Wall](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ko9uBeoLfpGrWgq3eDjap3.jpg) [Mike Wall](https://www.space.com/author/mike-wall) Social Links Navigation Spaceflight and Tech Editor Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for [Space.com](https://www.space.com/) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter. Read more [![Screenshot from a new NASA animation highlighting some of the universe\&\#039;s biggest black holes, including the record-holding TON 618, which is about as massive as 60 billion suns.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LonKAe8kapjmivFoVTBLRX.jpeg) James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes "James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes") [![(Main) An illustration of the supermassive black hole M87\* (Inset) the NASA/JAXA mission XRISM](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7m3KGMqKhwNrKVJp48qVvT.png) Black Holes NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/nasa-x-ray-spacecraft-stares-into-the-eye-of-the-storm-swirling-around-supermassive-black-holes "NASA X-ray spacecraft stares into the 'eye of the storm' swirling around supermassive black holes") [![An illustration shows dark matter powering the heart of a spiral galaxy](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/69kRCSZKQ5H5nddwqCTGR3.png) Dark Universe Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?](https://www.space.com/astronomy/dark-universe/could-the-milky-way-galaxys-supermassive-black-hole-actually-be-a-clump-of-dark-matter "Could the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole actually be a clump of dark matter?") [![M87\* and its cosmic blowtorch-like jet as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hpLw8QjLxtFpwGinGSiYF7.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/astronomers-watch-1st-black-hole-ever-imaged-launch-a-3-000-light-year-long-cosmic-jet-from-its-glowing-shadow "Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow'") [![A illustration of a tidal disruption event in which a star is devoured by a black hole](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ziLUfcpZKdNodG7ttnHh3e.png) Black Holes Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/scientists-may-have-found-a-missing-link-black-hole-ripping-up-and-devouring-a-star "Scientists may have found a 'missing-link' black hole ripping up and devouring a star") [![Images of the twisted jet of matter OJ287 erupting from a distant black hole as seen by the EHT](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tgMzuuacJWYAtq6kqNFh8J.png) Black Holes Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/astronomers-watch-2-supermassive-black-holes-caught-in-a-twisted-dance-with-never-before-seen-jet-behavior "Astronomers watch 2 supermassive black holes caught in a twisted dance with never-before-seen jet behavior") Latest in Black Holes [![A black circle in the center of the illustration surrounded by swirling glowing patterns spiraling outward from it. The left side is colored red while the right side is colored purple.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjhmXS8mFkbE5qXSnb8ggA.png) Black Holes Could our universe exist because black holes ate up all the antimatter?](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/could-our-universe-exist-because-black-holes-ate-up-all-the-antimatter "Could our universe exist because black holes ate up all the antimatter?") [![An illustration of the supermassive black hole IRAS 05189-2524 which the XRISM spacecraft watched spring back to life](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EfPEznfetDrGHyxBc9hwwQ.png) Black Holes X-ray spacecraft watches monster black hole wake up and fire cosmic bullets at starburst galaxy](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/x-ray-spacecraft-watches-monster-black-hole-wake-up-and-fire-cosmic-bullets-at-starburst-galaxy "X-ray spacecraft watches monster black hole wake up and fire cosmic bullets at starburst galaxy") [![ Illustration of an eccentric neutron star–black hole binary. The neutron star’s path is shown in blue and the black hole’s motion in orange as the two objects orbit each other.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EmaYyXsYbtCknzr4JwN2JD.png) Black Holes Black hole and neutron star mergers push the laws of physics with their odd orbits](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/black-hole-and-neutron-star-mergers-push-the-laws-of-physics-with-their-odd-orbits "Black hole and neutron star mergers push the laws of physics with their odd orbits") [![An illustration of colliding black holes setting the fabric of space ringing with gravitational waves.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AU4KyD58keEkWydH4ooKJh.png) Black Holes The universe is humming with ripples in spacetime: Scientists just doubled our catalog of black hole and neutron star collisions](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/the-universe-is-humming-with-ripples-in-spacetime-scientists-just-doubled-our-catalog-of-black-hole-and-neutron-star-collisions "The universe is humming with ripples in spacetime: Scientists just doubled our catalog of black hole and neutron star collisions") [![An image showing blobs of yellow and purple light with insets of illustrations showing what these blobs could represent.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdHb23dnDCzfjWzeVfdgyC.png) Black Holes Black holes! Supernovas! Merging galaxies! Oh my! Largest radio survey of the cosmos ever reveals 13.7 million powerful cosmic objects and events](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/black-holes-supernovas-merging-galaxies-oh-my-largest-radio-survey-of-the-cosmos-ever-reveals-13-7-million-powerful-cosmic-objects-and-events "Black holes! Supernovas! Merging galaxies! Oh my! Largest radio survey of the cosmos ever reveals 13.7 million powerful cosmic objects and events") [![An illustration of two black circles in the center of the screen separated by a red dot. There\&\#039;s a glowing blue circle around both black circles and a red semi-circle at the bottom.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VAGT8xLGFWzj5UeRpR7pEe.png) Black Holes Starlight warped in the fabric of spacetime could help us find hidden black holes dancing together](https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/starlight-warped-in-the-fabric-of-spacetime-could-help-us-find-hidden-black-holes-dancing-together "Starlight warped in the fabric of spacetime could help us find hidden black holes dancing together") Latest in News [![People hold signs outside on a sunny day in protest of NASA budget cuts, July 20, 2025.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LRPke5wosXcT3F76si4jUM.jpg) Astronomy Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again](https://www.space.com/astronomy/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again "Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again") [![Artemis 2 Moon Flyby Today](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qE5kCjgsHDkrDBTX4rygoX.png) Artemis NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-artemis-2-astronauts-to-make-historic-moon-flyby-today-heres-what-to-expect-hour-by-hour-timeline "NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)") [![Visualization of the Artemis 2 Orion capsule approaching the moon, shortly before it entered lunar space in the early-morning hours of April 6, 2026.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mxgmd8e2nUufdnLVy5qxyf.jpg) Artemis Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/humanity-is-back-at-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-arrive-in-lunar-space "Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space") [![The Artemis 2 crew took this photo on April 4, 2026, Day 4 of their journey to the moon. The moon is oriented with the south pole at the top. Orientale Basin is on the right edge of the lunar disk in this image. Artemis 2 marks the first time that humans have seen the entire basin. The astronauts will continue to observe Orientale from multiple angles as they approach the moon and throughout the lunar flyby. Orientale is the textbook multi-ring impact basin used as a baseline to compare other impact craters on rocky worlds from Mercury to Pluto.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oVuH9LJDfhPZqkCkanSFrY.jpg) Artemis When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/when-the-moon-hits-your-eye-from-your-orion-ship-up-high-thats-a-mare "When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2") [![Two images with a view of an NASA Orion spacecraft on left and space toilet on right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XhYwpeuFZFXywkGEqVuReJ.png) Artemis The breakout star of NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission isn't an astronaut — it's the space toilet](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/the-breakout-star-of-nasas-artemis-2-mission-to-the-moon-isnt-an-astronaut-its-the-space-toilet "The breakout star of NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission isn't an astronaut — it's the space toilet") [![Screenshot from a NASA animation showing the final stages of the solar ecliipse that Artemis 2 astronauts will see from their vantage point beyond the moon on April 6, 2026. The sun is starting to emerge from the moon\&\#039;s left limb.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hAVR2rPXCZEqW2s3GY9DDQ.jpg) Artemis Artemis 2 astronauts are about to see one of the rarest skywatching sights of all — a solar eclipse from beyond the moon](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/artemis-2-astronauts-are-about-to-see-one-of-the-rarest-skywatching-sights-of-all-a-solar-eclipse-from-beyond-the-moon "Artemis 2 astronauts are about to see one of the rarest skywatching sights of all — a solar eclipse from beyond the moon") MORE FROM SPACE... 1. [![People hold signs outside on a sunny day in protest of NASA budget cuts, July 20, 2025.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LRPke5wosXcT3F76si4jUM.jpg)](https://www.space.com/astronomy/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again "Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again") 1 [Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again](https://www.space.com/astronomy/deja-vu-trump-proposes-cutting-nasa-science-funding-by-47-percent-again) 2. 2 [Astronaut Victor Glover is the latest in a long line of Black American explorers − including York, the enslaved man who played a key role in the Lewis and Clark expedition](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/astronaut-victor-glover-is-the-latest-in-a-long-line-of-black-american-explorers-including-york-the-enslaved-man-who-played-a-key-role-in-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition) 3. 3 [NASA Artemis 2 astronauts to make historic moon flyby today. Here's what to expect hour by hour (timeline)](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-artemis-2-astronauts-to-make-historic-moon-flyby-today-heres-what-to-expect-hour-by-hour-timeline) 4. 4 [Humanity is back at the moon! Artemis 2 astronauts arrive in lunar space](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/humanity-is-back-at-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-arrive-in-lunar-space) 5. 5 [When the moon hits your eye from your Orion ship up high, that's a 'mare' for Artemis 2](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/when-the-moon-hits-your-eye-from-your-orion-ship-up-high-thats-a-mare) Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. [Visit our corporate site](https://futureplc.com/). 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Readable Markdown	![This photo is the historic first image of a supermassive black hole ever recorded. It shows the shadow of the monster black hole inside the distant galaxy M87.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wS5ytyMNaRpRMuCp62yjKn.jpg) The Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration, captured this image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87 and its shadow. (Image credit: EHT Collaboration) The researchers who captured the [first-ever images of a black hole](https://www.space.com/first-black-hole-photo-by-event-horizon-telescope.html) don't plan to rest on their laurels. Yesterday (April 10), the [Event Horizon Telescope](https://www.space.com/how-event-horizon-telescope-photographs-black-holes.html) (EHT) collaboration announced that it had photographed the contours of the supermassive black hole at the heart of M87, a huge elliptical galaxy that lies 55 million light-years from Earth. Those contours outline the black hole's event horizon, the famous point of no return beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. The epic achievement further [bolsters Einstein's theory of general relativity](https://www.space.com/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html), which describes gravity as a consequence of the warping of space-time. And the newly unveiled images should help scientists better understand how black holes tick, and how the biggest ones — such as the M87 monster, which harbors the mass of 6.5 billion suns — shape the evolution of their host galaxies, scientists said. But that doesn't mean the project's work is done — far from it. For example, it should be possible to sharpen the existing images using algorithms, EHT director Sheperd Doeleman, of Harvard University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during a press conference yesterday. Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! The new result came from a weeklong observing campaign conducted in April 2017 — a run during which the researchers also studied the supermassive black hole at the heart of our own Milky Way galaxy. This object, known as Sagittarius A\, harbors 4.3 million solar masses and lies about 26,000 light-years from Earth. Sagittarius A\ is more variable over short timescales than the M87 [black hole](https://www.space.com/15421-black-holes-facts-formation-discovery-sdcmp.html) and is therefore more difficult to image, Doeleman said. But the team is optimistic that it will be able to pull a picture of Sagittarius A\'s event horizon out of the data as well. "We're not promising anything, but we hope to get that very soon," Doeleman said. And the team has more than just 2017 data to go through. The EHT project also observed the two supermassive black holes for a week last year, with even greater resolution. Related:* [What Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https://www.space.com/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html) The EHT integrates multiple radio telescopes around the world, forming a virtual instrument the size of Earth. (You have to go that big to resolve the two supermassive black holes, which are incredibly dense but quite small, volumewise, on a cosmic scale.) During the 2017 run, eight dishes in six different locales comprised the EHT megascope. The team added one dish, in Greenland, for the 2018 campaign, "which dramatically increased our coverage to the north on M87," Doeleman said. The team will also soon incorporate another dish — one atop Kitt Peak, in southern Arizona, he added. "These will all increase the imaging fidelity," Doeleman said. "They'll fill out that virtual mirror that we're trying to build." To date, the EHT has observed the black holes in just one frequency — light with a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters. But the project soon plans to look at the 0.87-mm frequency as well, which should lead to additional improvements. "It sounds like a small jump, but it increases your angular resolution — the resolving power — by over 30%," Doeleman said. "So, you wind up sharpening your image just by observing at higher frequencies." And that's just the near future. Over the longer haul, the collaboration would like the virtual scope to include an off-planet dish. "World domination is not enough for us; we also want to go into space," Doeleman said. "If we could put a space-based radio telescope in orbit around the Earth, it would sweep out even more of that virtual mirror and do it much more quickly." Going into space would allow the EHT to capture some even more jaw-dropping imagery. "We could make movies instead of pictures," Doeleman said in an [EHT talk last month](https://eventhorizontelescope.org/blog/eht-planetary-effort-photograph-black-hole) at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. "We want to make a movie in real time of things orbiting around the black hole. That’s what we want to do over the next decade." (Interestingly, the biggest obstacle to this grand expansion may be data transmission. Each EHT dish collects so much data during the project's observing runs that hard drives must be physically transported from telescope sites to central processing facilities; there's just too much to relay electronically on any reasonable timescale. So, it's unclear how the team would get data down from space, EHT project scientist Dimitrios Psaltis, of the University of Arizona, said during the SXSW event last month.) EHT isn't the only project shining significant light on black holes. For example, NASA's [Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array](https://www.space.com/37182-nasa-nustar-black-hole-observatory-5-images-5-years.html) (NuSTAR) spacecraft is hunting for, and helping to characterize, supermassive black holes around the universe. The [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory](https://www.space.com/31894-gravitational-waves-ligo-search-complete-coverage.html) (LIGO) has detected the space-time ripples generated by mergers involving relatively small black holes — objects harboring just a few dozen times the mass of the sun. And future projects — such as the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission, which is scheduled to launch in the mid-2030s — will aim to spot gravitational waves generated by mergers of supermassive black holes. "The subject of black holes is \[ready\] for prime time," said Avi Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department and founding director of the university's interdisciplinary Black Hole Initiative. "There's a multitude of ways that would be complementary of studying the conditions near a supermassive black hole," Loeb, who is not part of the EHT team, told Space.com. "There are a lot of interesting things that we can find out." - [Images: Black Holes of the Universe](https://www.space.com/31-black-holes-universe.html) - [What Exactly Is a Black Hole Event Horizon (and What Happens There)?](https://www.space.com/black-holes-event-horizon-explained.html) - [8 Baffling Astronomy Mysteries](https://www.space.com/15936-astronomy-mysteries-science-countdown.html) Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "[Out There](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FOut-There-Scientific-Antimatter-Cosmically%2Fdp%2F1538729377%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-2738472146419429680-20)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by[Karl Tate](http://www.karltate.com/)), is out now. Follow him on Twitter [@michaeldwall](http://twitter.com/michaeldwall). Follow us on Twitter[@Spacedotcom](http://twitter.com/spacedotcom) or[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/spacecom). Share your thoughts 0 0 0 0 Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. Already have an account? Log in My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? Validate Your Mobile No. We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update Your Mobile No. You may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide. embed-reactions.hint\_heading embed-reactions.hint\_subheading Validate Your Email Address We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update Your Email Address You may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide. Create a Username This will be publicly viewable so make it something you like\! Reset your password Enter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password. Check your inbox If your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password. Set new password Please enter your new password below. Leaderboard \| Rank \| Player \| Score \| Time \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\| Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for [Space.com](https://www.space.com/) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
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