Watch a supermassive black hole swirling in VR
It's like the Eye of Sauron, but in space.
If you've ever wanted to stare into a black hole, now's your chance.
Researchers from Radboud University in the Netherlands and Goethe University in Germany have created a 360-degree virtual reality simulation of the Sagittarius A*, a black hole at the centre of the milky way, according to a release on EurekAlert.
To achieve this, the researchers put together a series of images created from recent astrophysical models of the black hole. Details were published in the Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology journal on Monday.
You can watch the video on its own or with a VR device for a more immersive experience. The researchers suggest the simulation -- a swirling mass of orange against a starry night sky -- could be useful for studying black holes or encouraging the general public and children to take an interest in the field of astrophysics.
"Our VR simulation creates one of the most realistic views of the direct surroundings of the black hole and will help us to learn more about how black holes behave," said co-author Jordy Davelaar.
"Travelling to a black hole in our lifetime is impossible, so immersive visualisations like this can help us understand more about these systems from where we are," he added.
CNET's Holiday Gift Guide: The place to find the best tech gifts for 2018.
Best Black Friday 2018 deals: The best discounts we've found so far.