Astronomers discover one of biggest black holes ever recorded

PARIS: One of the largest black holes ever recorded has been discovered using a new technique that could spot thousands more of the insatiable celestial monsters in the coming years, according to astronomers.

The ultramassive black hole, one of just four ever observed, is more than 30 billion times the mass of the Sun, a new study said. It is the first black hole ever observed using a phenomenon called gravitational lensing, in which light travelling towards us from a distant galaxy appears to magnify and bend inwards, giving away the presence of a dark giant.

James Nightingale, an astronomer at the UK´s Durham University and the study´s lead author, told AFP the process was “similar to shining light through the base of a wine glass”.