Scientists have precisely measured the spin and feeding rate of the supermassive black hole M87*, located at the center of the Messier 87 galaxy.
Using data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), researchers analyzed the brightness differences in the black hole's accretion disk to determine its rotation speed.
The study found that the material around M87* rotates at 14% of the speed of light, and the black hole has a spin of approximately 0.8. This research also estimated the rate at which M87* consumes matter, revealing it to be in a relatively stable phase of absorption.
These findings offer crucial insights into the relationship between accretion disks and relativistic jets, potentially explaining the formation and evolution of galaxies.