Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

The persistent shadow of the supermassive black hole of M 87. I. Observations, calibration, imaging, and analysis

Journal Article · · Astron.Astrophys.
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [13];  [14];  [15];  [16];  [17];  [18];  [19] more »;  [20];  [21];  [16];  [3];  [22];  [21];  [23];  [24];  [25];  [26];  [27];  [16];  [16];  [28];  [29];  [30];  [31];  [32];  [33];  [34];  [35];  [36];  [12];  [37];  [38];  [2];  [39];  [40];  [41];  [42];  [43];  [44];  [13];  [45];  [16];  [46];  [47];  [17];  [48];  [49];  [12];  [50];  [9];  [2];  [23];  [51];  [15];  [52];  [2];  [53];  [54];  [21];  [21];  [55];  [56];  [57];  [58];  [2];  [59];  [17];  [60];  [20];  [61];  [9];  [62];  [63];  [64];  [6];  [59];  [65];  [66];  [67];  [6];  [17];  [68];  [9];  [69];  [6];  [59];  [23];  [16];  [70];  [71];  [13];  [72];  [3];  [73];  [17];  [74];  [12];  [75];  [31];  [76];  [77];  [6];  [78];  [79];  [6];  [80];  [21];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [81];  [23];  [31];  [18];  [82];  [83];  [17];  [35];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [84];  [85];  [3];  [86];  [12];  [9];  [87];  [3];  [88];  [89];  [90];  [9];  [70];  [91];  [6];  [12];  [92];  [3];  [15];  [93];  [94];  [16];  [95];  [23];  [90];  [96];  [3];  [91];  [97];  [98];  [60];  [11];  [99];  [24];  [100];  [101];  [98];  [102];  [103];  [104];  [74];  [79];  [23];  [105];  [106];  [16];  [3];  [107];  [15];  [17];  [108];  [100];  [21];  [24];  [109];  [13];  [106];  [81];  [110];  [17];  [111];  [16];  [112];  [100];  [113];  [114];  [6];  [3];  [9];  [3];  [3];  [98];  [12];  [84];  [98];  [58];  [98];  [115];  [9];  [116];  [24];  [17];  [21];  [117];  [30];  [74];  [118];  [12];  [90];  [24];  [119];  [120];  [121];  [122];  [100];  [123];  [12];  [124];  [125];  [2];  [126];  [9];  [127];  [128];  [74];  [129];  [23];  [23];  [3];  [119];  [130];  [9];  [16];  [3];  [3];  [131];  [3];  [23];  [132];  [133];  [18];  [17];  [23];  [90];  [23];  [134];  [17];  [135];  [136];  [3];  [137];  [126];  [59];  [138];  [6];  [139];  [140];  [6];  [29];  [141];  [65];  [6];  [140];  [142];  [65];  [6];  [6];  [140];  [143];  [29];  [6];  [144];  [145];  [6];  [140];  [6];  [146];  [65];  [6];  [147];  [6];  [17];  [29];  [142];  [29];  [6];  [148];  [29];  [149];  [6];  [29];  [17];  [150];  [6];  [6] « less
  1. MIT, LNS; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  2. IAA, Granada
  3. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  4. Malaya U.
  5. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Texas U., San Antonio
  6. Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  7. Valencia U.; Valencia U., IFIC; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  8. Chalmers U. Tech.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  9. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.
  10. Yale Ctr. Astron. Astrophys.
  11. Concepcion U.
  12. MIT, LNS
  13. Illinois U., Urbana
  14. Fermilab; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.
  15. Subaru Telescope
  16. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  17. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  18. Caltech
  19. Gemini Observ., Hilo; Hawaii U.
  20. McGill U.; McGill U., Montreal (main)
  21. IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres
  22. Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC
  23. Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  24. Massachusetts U., Amherst
  25. Chicago U., KICP; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U.; Chicago U., EFI
  26. Princeton U.
  27. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Clemson U.; LSST, Tucson; Arizona U.
  28. Cornell U., Radio. Space Res. Ctr.
  29. Gemini Observ., Hilo
  30. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Beijing Observ.
  31. KASI, DaeJeon
  32. IAA, Granada; KASI, DaeJeon; Yonsei U.
  33. Fairfield U.
  34. Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.; Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  35. Chalmers U. Tech.
  36. Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U., KICP
  37. Mexico U.; Frankfurt U.
  38. MIT, LNS; Unlisted, CN; Shanghai Jiao Tong U.
  39. Columbia U., Astron. Astrophys.; Flatiron Inst., New York; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  40. INFN, Naples; Naples U.
  41. U. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sch. Phys.; Pretoria U.; Rhodes U.
  42. Subaru Telescope; ASTRON, Dwingeloo
  43. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; LESIA, Meudon
  44. Colorado U.
  45. Shanghai Jiao Tong U.
  46. IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  47. NAOC, Beijing; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  48. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  49. Las Cumbres Observ.; UC, Santa Barbara
  50. NRAO, Charlottesville
  51. MIT; Unlisted, US, MA
  52. Wurzburg U.; Frankfurt U.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  53. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Harvard U.
  54. Illinois U., Urbana; Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.
  55. Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.
  56. Sao Paulo U.; Sao Paulo, Inst. Astron. Geofis.; Cagliari U.; Cagliari Observ.; INFN, Cagliari
  57. Southern Denmark U., CP3-Origins
  58. INAOE, Puebla; Conacyt, Mexico
  59. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.
  60. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.
  61. Groningen U.
  62. Peking U.; Peking U., Beijing, KIAA
  63. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Subaru Telescope
  64. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.; Tokyo U.
  65. INAOE, Puebla
  66. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Inst. Statistical Math.; Tokyo U., IPMU
  67. Leiden Observ.; NRAO, Charlottesville
  68. Unlisted, US, MA; Integrated Applied Physics, Waltham
  69. Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  70. Boston U.
  71. Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.
  72. KASI, DaeJeon; KISTI, Daejeon
  73. Tokyo U., ICRR
  74. ASTRON, Dwingeloo
  75. Kyungpook Natl. U.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  76. KAIST, Taejon
  77. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Kogakuin U.
  78. Frankfurt U.
  79. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo U.
  80. Niigata U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  81. Taiwan, Natl. Normal U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  82. Nanjing U. (main); Nanjing U., Dept. Astron.
  83. Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia; IAA, Granada
  84. INAF-IRA, Bologna
  85. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.
  86. UNAM, Morelia, Inst. Radioastron. Astrophys.
  87. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Beijing Observ.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  88. Yunnan Observ.; NAOC, Beijing
  89. INAF-IRA, Bologna; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  90. U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA
  91. Valencia U.; Valencia U., IFIC
  92. Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept.
  93. Shanghai Jiao Tong U.; Frankfurt U.
  94. McGill U., Montreal (main); McGill U.; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.
  95. Frankfurt U.; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan
  96. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  97. U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  98. IRAM, Granada
  99. Hachinohe Inst. Tech.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  100. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Harvard U. (main)
  101. RCAAM, Academy of Athens; Frankfurt U.
  102. Villanova U.
  103. Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.
  104. Washington U., St. Louis
  105. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan
  106. Georgia Tech
  107. Kyung Hee U.
  108. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; U. Toronto, Dunlap Inst. Astron. Astrophys.; Canadian Inst. Advanced Res.
  109. U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA; Frankfurt U.
  110. Concepcion U.; Turku U.; Aalto U.
  111. Gemini Observ., Hilo; Subaru Telescope
  112. Frankfurt U.; Frankfurt U., FIAS; Trinity Coll., Dublin
  113. Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Toronto U.; U. Toronto, Dunlap Inst. Astron. Astrophys.; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.
  114. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Harvard U. (main); Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  115. Tokyo Inst. Tech.; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Hiroshima U.
  116. Aalto U.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  117. Peking U., Beijing, KIAA; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  118. KASI, DaeJeon; KISTI, Daejeon; Yonsei U.
  119. Central Lancashire U.
  120. Peking U., CHEP; Peking U., Beijing
  121. Fujitsu, Atsugi
  122. Lethbridge U.
  123. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Leiden Observ.; NWO, The Hague
  124. Tohoku U., IIAIR; Tohoku U., Astron. Inst.
  125. IRAM, Granada; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  126. IAA, Granada; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  127. Seoul Natl. U., Dept. Phys. Astron.
  128. Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.
  129. ASTRON, Dwingeloo; Leiden Observ.; New Mexico U.
  130. Brandeis U.
  131. Tuorla Observ.
  132. Princeton, Inst. Advanced Study; Princeton U.
  133. Hua-Zhong U. Sci. Tech.
  134. Mullard Space Sci. Lab.; Frankfurt U.
  135. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Beijing, GUCAS
  136. Hefei, CUST
  137. Michigan State U.
  138. Vermont U.
  139. Taiwan, Natl. Central U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  140. Taiwan, Natl. Central U.
  141. Western Ontario U.
  142. Osaka Prefecture U.
  143. JAXA, Sagamihara
  144. Taiwan, Natl. Cheng Kung U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  145. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Central U.
  146. ASTRON, Dwingeloo; Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  147. Coahuila Autonoma U.
  148. Trieste U.; INFN, Trieste; Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia
  149. Conacyt, Mexico; INAOE, Puebla
  150. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Gemini Observ., Hilo
+ Show Author Affiliations
In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration reported the first-ever event-horizon-scale images of a black hole, resolving the central compact radio source in the giant elliptical galaxy M 87. These images reveal a ring with a southerly brightness distribution and a diameter of ∼42 μas, consistent with the predicted size and shape of a shadow produced by the gravitationally lensed emission around a supermassive black hole. These results were obtained as part of the April 2017 EHT observation campaign, using a global very long baseline interferometric radio array operating at a wavelength of 1.3 mm. Here, we present results based on the second EHT observing campaign, taking place in April 2018 with an improved array, wider frequency coverage, and increased bandwidth. In particular, the additional baselines provided by the Greenland telescope improved the coverage of the array. Multiyear EHT observations provide independent snapshots of the horizon-scale emission, allowing us to confirm the persistence, size, and shape of the black hole shadow, and constrain the intrinsic structural variability of the accretion flow. We have confirmed the presence of an asymmetric ring structure, brighter in the southwest, with a median diameter of 43.3−3.1+1.5 μas. The diameter of the 2018 ring is remarkably consistent with the diameter obtained from the previous 2017 observations. On the other hand, the position angle of the brightness asymmetry in 2018 is shifted by about 30° relative to 2017. The perennial persistence of the ring and its diameter robustly support the interpretation that the ring is formed by lensed emission surrounding a Kerr black hole with a mass ∼6.5 × 109 M⊙. The significant change in the ring brightness asymmetry implies a spin axis that is more consistent with the position angle of the large-scale jet.
Research Organization:
ASTRON, Dwingeloo; Aalto U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Arizona U.; Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Beijing Observ.; Beijing, GUCAS; Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Boston U.; Brandeis U.; Cagliari Observ.; Cagliari U.; Caltech; Canadian Inst. Advanced Res.; Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Central Lancashire U.; Chalmers U. Tech.; Chicago U.; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U., EFI; Chicago U., KICP; Clemson U.; Coahuila Autonoma U.; Colorado U.; Columbia U., Astron. Astrophys.; Conacyt, Mexico; Concepcion U.; Cornell U., Radio. Space Res. Ctr.; Fairfield U.; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Flatiron Inst., New York; Frankfurt U.; Frankfurt U., FIAS; Fujitsu, Atsugi; Gemini Observ., Hilo; Georgia Tech; Groningen U.; Hachinohe Inst. Tech.; Harvard U.; Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Hawaii U.; Hefei, CUST; Hiroshima U.; Hua-Zhong U. Sci. Tech.; IAA, Granada; INAF-IRA, Bologna; INAOE, Puebla; INFN, Cagliari; INFN, Naples; INFN, Trieste; IRAM, Granada; IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres; Illinois U., Urbana; Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.; Integrated Applied Physics, Waltham; JAXA, Sagamihara; KAIST, Taejon; KASI, DaeJeon; KISTI, Daejeon; Kogakuin U.; Kyung Hee U.; Kyungpook Natl. U.; LESIA, Meudon; LSST, Tucson; Las Cumbres Observ.; Leiden Observ.; Lethbridge U.; MIT; MIT, LNS; Malaya U.; Massachusetts U., Amherst; McGill U.; McGill U., Montreal (main); Mexico U.; Michigan State U.; Mullard Space Sci. Lab.; NAOC, Beijing; NRAO, Charlottesville; NWO, The Hague; Nanjing U. (main); Nanjing U., Dept. Astron.; Naples U.; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; New Mexico U.; Niigata U.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Osaka Prefecture U.; Peking U.; Peking U., Beijing; Peking U., Beijing, KIAA; Peking U., CHEP; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Pretoria U.; Princeton U.; Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept.; Princeton, Inst. Advanced Study; RCAAM, Academy of Athens; Rhodes U.; Sao Paulo U.; Sao Paulo, Inst. Astron. Geofis.; Seoul Natl. U., Dept. Phys. Astron.; Shanghai Jiao Tong U.; Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Southern Denmark U., CP3-Origins; Subaru Telescope; Taiwan, Natl. Central U.; Taiwan, Natl. Cheng Kung U.; Taiwan, Natl. Normal U.; Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.; Texas U., San Antonio; Tohoku U., Astron. Inst.; Tohoku U., IIAIR; Tokyo Inst. Tech.; Tokyo U.; Tokyo U., ICRR; Tokyo U., IPMU; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.; Tokyo, Inst. Statistical Math.; Toronto U.; Trieste U.; Trinity Coll., Dublin; Tuorla Observ.; Turku U.; U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA; U. Toronto, Dunlap Inst. Astron. Astrophys.; U. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sch. Phys.; UC, Santa Barbara; UNAM, Morelia, Inst. Radioastron. Astrophys.; Unlisted, CN; Unlisted, US, MA; Valencia U.; Valencia U., IFIC; Vermont U.; Villanova U.; Washington U., St. Louis; Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC; Western Ontario U.; Wurzburg U.; Yale Ctr. Astron. Astrophys.; Yonsei U.; Yunnan Observ.
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
Grant/Contract Number:
89243024CSC000002; AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
2468682
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-24-0718-PPD; oai:inspirehep.net:2773623
Journal Information:
Astron.Astrophys., Journal Name: Astron.Astrophys. Vol. 681
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Horizon-scale variability of from 2017--2021 EHT observations
Journal Article · Wed Sep 03 20:00:00 EDT 2025 · Astronomy and Astrophysics · OSTI ID:2998878
Monitoring the Morphology of M87* in 2009-2017 with the Event Horizon Telescope
Journal Article · Tue Sep 22 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Astrophys.J. · OSTI ID:1674987

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
M 87
accretion disks
active galaxies
black hole physics
gravitation
jets