The New Physics of Black Hole Star Capture | Extreme Tidal Disruption Events

We’ve never seen a TDE in the Milky Way, but we’ve seen them in distant galaxies.

The New Physics of Black Hole Star Capture | Extreme Tidal Disruption Events PBS Space Time

Premiered September 19, 2024
The New Physics of Black Hole Star Capture | Extreme Tidal Disruption Events

If you track the motion of individual stars in the ultra-dense star cluster at the very center of the Milky Way you’ll see that they swing in sharp orbits around some vast but invisible mass—that’s the Sagittarius A* supermassive black hole. These are perilous orbits, and sometimes a star wanders just a little too close to that lurking monster, leading to a tidal disruption event.

About the Program

PBS Space Time

PBS Space Time explores the outer reaches of space, the craziness of astrophysics, the possibilities of sci-fi, and anything else you can think of beyond Planet Earth. Host Matt O'Dowd breaks down both the basic and incredibly complex sides of space and time.

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