Scientists Detect, Rogue Black Hole, For the First Time.<br />For the first time, astronomers believe <br />they have detected and measured the mass <br />of an isolated stellar-mass black hole. .<br />Space.com reports that until now, all stellar-mass black holes have been detected in binary systems associated with partners like neutron stars. .<br />When giant stars reach the end of <br />their lifespan they explode in massive <br />supernovae that leave behind black holes. .<br />There are estimated to be 100 million stellar-mass <br />black holes in the Milky Way, according <br />to the new study's lead author Kailash Sahu. .<br />Sahu, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute <br />in Baltimore, says that the majority of stellar-mass black holes <br />in the Milky Way appear to be without a binary partner. .<br />A black hole's interaction with its stellar <br />partner generates light or gravitational waves <br />which allow astronomers to detect them.<br />This makes black holes that lack a binary <br />partner extremely difficult to detect. .<br />Now, astronomers have detected <br />an isolated stellar-mass black hole <br />about 5,150 light-years away from earth. .<br />We now know that isolated black holes <br />exist. And they have masses similar to <br />the black holes found in binaries. And <br />there must be lots of them out there, Kailash Sahu, Lead author and astrophysicist at the Space <br />Telescope Science Institute, via Space.com.<br />According to the team, the isolated black hole <br />is about 7.1 times the mass of our sun and <br />is traveling through space at about 100,000 mph. .<br />According to Space.com, this suggests that <br />the black hole may have been propelled <br />by the supernova blast that birthed it.
