Binary Black Hole Systems

In these photos, complements of NASA and their CHANDRA X-ray space telescope, we get a view of multiple black holes in the galaxy Centaurus A.  This is the nearest galaxy to our own that contains Super Massive Black Holes.
Given enough time, Super Massive Black Holes are created by the merging of smaller galaxies and smaller black holes. The photo above is thought to be a picture of 1 step in the process, where smaller black holes from several galaxies are merging to form 1 Super Massive Black Hole of immense size.
The huge jet (in lower photo) is being emitted from one of the Super Massive Black holes and is approximately 13,000 light years in length!  There is a second, smaller jet being emitted in the opposite direction.
These jets are composed of X-rays being emitted by the intense interraction of matter at or near the Event Horizon of the black hole.  Just outside the Event Horizon there is an accretion disk of material. The pull of the Super Massive Black hole essentially creates a traffic jam of material within the accretion disk, resulting in immense interaction and ejection of X-ray jets.
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Maddalena Environmental Inc.
Al Maddalena