Tidal disruption of stars by black holes of 106-108 solar masses in nearby galaxies
Abstract
Stars in galactic nuclei can be captured or tidally disrupted by a central black hole. Some debris would be ejected at high speed', the remainder would be swallowed by the hole, causing a bright flare lasting at most a few years. Such phenomena are compatible with the presence of 106-108 Msolar holes in the nuclei of many nearby galaxies. Stellar disruption may have interesting consequences in our own Galactic Centre if a ~106 Msolar hole lurks there.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- June 1988
- DOI:
- 10.1038/333523a0
- Bibcode:
- 1988Natur.333..523R
- Keywords:
-
- Active Galactic Nuclei;
- Black Holes (Astronomy);
- Stellar Mass;
- Quasars;
- Red Shift;
- Star Distribution;
- Stellar Flares;
- Tides;
- Astrophysics