A down-to-earth astronomer shares 2 recent events involving black holes

Scientists at Hawaiʻi Island’s Keck Observatory recently observed two significant events in deep space. The first was an impending collision between two supermassive black holes, or quasars.

The second was a strange streak of baby stars and gasses stretching for 200,000 light years, possibly the trail left behind by a fleeing black hole.

So what does that mean? The Conversation talked to Keck Observatory’s Chief Scientist John O’Meara about the galactic discoveries.

This interview aired on The Conversation on April 14, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.