The science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke selected his own seven wonders of the world in a BBC television series in 1997. The only astronomical object he included was SS 433. It had attracted attention already in the late 1970s due to its X-ray emission and was later discovered to be at the center of a gas nebula that is dubbed the manatee nebula due to its unique shape resembling these aquatic mammals.

The video in this article brings me joy; it’s just so good and fun to watch.

  • BaroqueInMind@lemmy.one
    2·
    5 months ago

    My hypothesis, and I’m only a moron mind you, is that there are gamma rays flying out the black hole area colliding with a plasma medium that orbits the binary system due to the quasar ejection, and starts a natural nuclear fission ignition and sends out even faster particles due to the chain reaction events. Like a billiards table when you break the initial stack, but with 100% transfer and duplication of all momentum and inertia.