The hole the researchers observed was spinning and spinning 10 billion times faster than any previously observed black hole. The impact on space-time was so strong that both black holes wobbled – or moved forward – in their orbits.

Einstein was right

The black holes in question are much larger than the Sun – the largest of which is 40 times larger than our star. Astronomers first captured a signal from them in 2020. Since then, scientists have collected more and more new data on the GW200129 event, which allows us to unravel the secrets of such an epic collision.

Scientists have observed the precession process in various objects, but never in such large objects. However, Einstein’s general theory of relativity more than a century ago predicted that motion must also occur in binary black holes. And now, after five years of studying gravitational waves, astronomers have been able to observe this rare phenomenon with their own eyes for the first time.

Pre-fusion tremor

The authors of a paper published in the journal Nature suggest that GW200129 black holes were in a chaotic relationship prior to their strong merger. As they pulled each other into shrinking orbits, they began to vibrate like zigzags occurring several times a second. This is 10 billion times faster than the rate of motion of any other object known to scientists.

This discovery not only proves Einstein right, it also raises the question of how common such events are. They are believed to be quite rare – one in a thousand observed events – but perhaps these patterns should be reconsidered.