Perseus Cluster Black Hole Infographic

On the left, an illustration of the Perseus Cluster black hole shows the gas cloud and strong pressure waves that surround it. On the right, a diagram compares the wavelengths of the sound from the black hole versus what humans can hear. The black hole emits one sound wave every 10 million years. Humans can hear 20 waves per second.

The black hole at the center of the Perseus Cluster is a frenzy of hot gas and high-energy particles. Jets of relativistic particles shoot out from the black hole at nearly the speed of light, creating giant bubbles as seen in the diagram. These bubbles create pressure waves as they are formed, which we observe as sound waves. (Credit: Adara Koivula)