Researchers at the IAC have discovered the fast 'fall' of two stars on black holes

In this picture the binary system XTE J1118+480 is depicted, with the companion star falling to the black hole. Credit: Gabriel Pérez (SMM-IAC)
In this picture the binary system XTE J1118+480 is depicted, with the companion star falling to the black hole. Credit: Gabriel Pérez (SMM-IAC)
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Thanks to the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC), the authors have demonstrated that two companion stars orbiting black holes are indeed falling onto these black holes, but the spiral-in of these companion stars is faster than what the theory predicts.

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