{"id":175046,"date":"2025-03-24T06:52:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T05:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/afsloering-af-sorte-hullers-excentriske-baner-giver-prestigefyldt-pris-til-ku-forsker\/"},"modified":"2025-03-24T11:07:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T10:07:14","slug":"astrophysicist-honoured-for-uncovering-black-holes-orbital-secrets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/astrophysicist-honoured-for-uncovering-black-holes-orbital-secrets\/","title":{"rendered":"Astrophysicist honoured for uncovering black holes\u2019 orbital secrets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Astrophysicists believed until recently that black holes always orbited each other in circular paths while emitting energy-rich gravitational waves. The prevailing hypothesis was that they circled around each other and merged once they had lost enough energy.<\/p>\n

Assistant Professor of Astrophysics Johan Samsing from the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) has now demonstrated, however, that this is not the case: Black holes often orbit each other in eccentric paths.<\/p>\n

It may sound like a minor detail: Is the orbit circular or eccentric? But this question makes a huge difference when researchers want to understand more about the lives of black holes and how they dance around each other.<\/p>\n

Since 2016, astrophysicists have only been able to determine black holes’ mass and the way they spin on their own axes. To do this, they have used LIGO, an instrument capable of measuring gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes. But with new knowledge about black holes’ eccentric orbits researchers can now gain a deeper insight into their evolution.<\/p>\n

If black holes have followed a specific eccentric orbit, they can reveal many things: the kind of universe they have previously existed in, the forces that have influenced them (perhaps a massive gas cloud), or whether a third black hole has intervened and pushed the two black holes (a three-body problem<\/em>). This latter phenomenon is now established science \u2014 partly thanks to Johan Samsing.<\/p>\n

\u00bbMuch of my work is theoretical, but the documentation is now at a level where none of the theory will change in five years,\u00ab he says.
\n
\nJohan Samsing was awarded the prestigious MERAC Prize on 18 March<\/a> for his research on black holes in the universe and the gravitational waves they produce when they collide.<\/p>\n

The MERAC Prize is awarded every two years by one of the world’s largest astrophysics organisations, the European Astronomical Society. It is considered one of the most prestigious awards dedicated to young researchers in the field of astrophysics, to which Johan Samsing has devoted his scientific career.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, he has a talent for staying focused.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI received the prize because, for more than ten years, I have continued to ask myself the question: How can we learn more about black holes from the orbits they had before they collided?\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n

Johan Samsing was one of the first in the world to explore this topic in depth. When he started publishing papers on the subject in 2014, he estimates that only four or five other astrophysicists worldwide were conducting research in the same area.<\/p>\n

Today, he estimates that a few hundred astrophysicists are now studying the same phenomenon, a rise that may be linked to the ability to measure gravitational waves using LIGO, which became possible ten years ago.<\/p>\n

As part of receiving the MERAC Prize, Johan Samsing will be one of the keynote speakers at this summer\u2019s European Astronomical Society meeting, attended by several hundred researchers. Along with the honour, the prize includes EUR 25,000 and improved access to research funding for his future work.
\n
\nJohan Samsing quite literally brings his work home with him to his house in Birker\u00f8d, north of Copenhagen. Here, his wife Akiko and their two children Kohana and Kaito, as well as visiting friends and colleagues, can gaze up at the starry sky from their living room.<\/p>\n

The family has a dome on their rooftop for a space telescope.<\/p>\n

\u00bbWe always hope for good weather because the dome is a bit leaky, so when it rains, it drips onto the living room floor,\u00ab says Johan Samsing.<\/p>\n

In addition, he is the creator and driving force behind a series of videos in the broadcast series Conversations at Niels Bohr\u2019s Office,<\/a><\/em> where top international researchers talk about their work.<\/p>\n

Finally, Johan Samsing\u2019s passion for communicating research on black holes led him to create the exhibition The Art of Space Time<\/a><\/em> on the central Copenhagen square Kongens Nytorv in 2024.
\n
\nJohan Samsing made headlines worldwide when he wrote about how black holes behave inside a massive gas cloud<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And as early as 2018, Johan Samsing was the first to publish a major article on the possible long-term dynamic evolution of black holes<\/a>.
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Astrophysicist Johan Samsing gets the MERAC Prize for his research on the movement of black holes billions of light-years away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":174689,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","expression-news_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nAstrophysicist honoured for uncovering black holes\u2019 orbital secrets<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Johan Samsing gets the prestigious MERAC Prize for his years of work 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Here he is in front of the old Niels Bohr Institute, where he has been assistant professor since 2020."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"","text":"This is a story about what will follow","use_post_excerpt":true},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":false,"headline":"Who is he?","style":"heavy","highlighted_words":"Who","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Astrophysicists believed until recently that black holes always orbited each other in circular paths while emitting energy-rich gravitational waves. The prevailing hypothesis was that they circled around each other and merged once they had lost enough energy.<\/p>\n<p>Assistant Professor of Astrophysics Johan Samsing from the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) has now demonstrated, however, that this is not the case: Black holes often orbit each other in eccentric paths.<\/p>\n<p>It may sound like a minor detail: Is the orbit circular or eccentric? But this question makes a huge difference when researchers want to understand more about the lives of black holes and how they dance around each other.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2016, astrophysicists have only been able to determine black holes’ mass and the way they spin on their own axes. To do this, they have used LIGO, an instrument capable of measuring gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes. But with new knowledge about black holes’ eccentric orbits researchers can now gain a deeper insight into their evolution.<\/p>\n<p>If black holes have followed a specific eccentric orbit, they can reveal many things: the kind of universe they have previously existed in, the forces that have influenced them (perhaps a massive gas cloud), or whether a third black hole has intervened and pushed the two black holes (a <em>three-body problem<\/em>). This latter phenomenon is now established science \u2014 partly thanks to Johan Samsing.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbMuch of my work is theoretical, but the documentation is now at a level where none of the theory will change in five years,\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":false,"headline":"Why am I reading about him now?","style":"heavy","highlighted_words":"Why","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Johan Samsing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merac.ch\/merac-prize?view=article&id=69&catid=24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was awarded the prestigious MERAC Prize on 18 March<\/a> for his research on black holes in the universe and the gravitational waves they produce when they collide.<\/p>\n<p>The MERAC Prize is awarded every two years by one of the world’s largest astrophysics organisations, the European Astronomical Society. It is considered one of the most prestigious awards dedicated to young researchers in the field of astrophysics, to which Johan Samsing has devoted his scientific career.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, he has a talent for staying focused.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI received the prize because, for more than ten years, I have continued to ask myself the question: How can we learn more about black holes from the orbits they had before they collided?\u00ab he says.<\/p>\n<p>Johan Samsing was one of the first in the world to explore this topic in depth. When he started publishing papers on the subject in 2014, he estimates that only four or five other astrophysicists worldwide were conducting research in the same area.<\/p>\n<p>Today, he estimates that a few hundred astrophysicists are now studying the same phenomenon, a rise that may be linked to the ability to measure gravitational waves using LIGO, which became possible ten years ago.<\/p>\n<p>As part of receiving the MERAC Prize, Johan Samsing will be one of the keynote speakers at this summer\u2019s European Astronomical Society meeting, attended by several hundred researchers. Along with the honour, the prize includes EUR 25,000 and improved access to research funding for his future work.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":false,"headline":"Where do I know him from?","style":"heavy","highlighted_words":"Where","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Johan Samsing quite literally brings his work home with him to his house in Birker\u00f8d, north of Copenhagen. Here, his wife Akiko and their two children Kohana and Kaito, as well as visiting friends and colleagues, can gaze up at the starry sky from their living room.<\/p>\n<p>The family has a dome on their rooftop for a space telescope.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbWe always hope for good weather because the dome is a bit leaky, so when it rains, it drips onto the living room floor,\u00ab says Johan Samsing.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, he is the creator and driving force behind a series of videos in the broadcast series <em><a href=\"https:\/\/video.ku.dk\/search\/perform?search=Johan+Samsing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conversations at Niels Bohr\u2019s Office,<\/a><\/em> where top international researchers talk about their work.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, Johan Samsing\u2019s passion for communicating research on black holes led him to create the exhibition <em><a href=\"https:\/\/nbia.nbi.ku.dk\/news\/2024\/black-holes-are-coming-to-copenhagen-in-august-2024\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Art of Space Time<\/a><\/em> on the central Copenhagen square Kongens Nytorv in 2024.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":false,"headline":"What should I do?","style":"heavy","highlighted_words":"I","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>Johan Samsing made headlines worldwide when he wrote about <a href=\"https:\/\/science.ku.dk\/english\/press\/news\/2022\/black-hole-billiards-in-the-centers-of-galaxies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how black holes behave inside a massive gas cloud<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And as early as 2018, Johan Samsing was the first to publish a major article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/ui.adsabs.harvard.edu\/abs\/2018PhRvD..97j3014S\/abstract\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">possible long-term dynamic evolution of black holes<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with top University of Copenhagen stories and events","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":3160,"name":"People","slug":"people","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3160,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":58,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":15,"name":"News Article","slug":"news_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":15,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":11489,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/dsc_2484johansamsingfacebook-1280x564.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175046"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175105,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175046\/revisions\/175105"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}