Astounding

Using the Event Horizon Telescope, scientists obtained an image of the black hole at the center of galaxy M87. Above, it is outlined by emission from hot gas swirling around it under the influence of strong gravity near its event horizon. Credits: Event Horizon Telescope collaboration et al.

DAY OF DISCOVERY: It's almost impossible to overstate the importance of Wednesday's news. Every image ever seen before April 10, 2019 relating to black holes was supposition - an artist's rendition. Now, with the image from the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, that has all changed. 

The world has its first image of an actual black hole.

Chandra X-ray Observatory close-up of the core of the M87 galaxy. Credits: NASA/CXC/Villanova University/J. Neilsen

As NASA explains, "Anything that comes within a black hole’s 'event horizon,' its point of no return, will be consumed, never to re-emerge, because of the black hole’s unimaginably strong gravity. By its very nature, a black hole cannot be seen, but the hot disk of material that encircles it shines bright. Against a bright backdrop, such as this disk, a black hole appears to cast a shadow."   

Brian Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. had this to say about the development: "It is hard to express how utterly remarkable and astoundingly delightful it is that mathematical scribblings can predict something as bizarre as black holes and then, looking to the skies with sufficient diligence, we find them."

This short video from the BBC succinctly sums up the importance of this 

"Time" has a great story about Katie Bouman and the team who worked together to create the image. It tells, in part, that while Bouman hardly knew a thing about black holes when she joined the team six years ago, she became involved in the project while pursuing a PhD in computer vision. Time reports Bouman's passion is “coming up with ways to see or measure things that are invisible."

TALK ABOUT IT: This morning I was thinking about ways to improve interpersonal communication, and my mind immediately turned to TED, as in TED Talks. I knew there had to be numerous talks on the topic of talking (and listening!). My browser wound up on a short presentation by Celeste Headlee, a longtime writer and radio host. The kids and I watched it, took notes on her main points, and then used it as a springboard to talk about how we could have more effective communications in our daily lives. It was time well spent. 
https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

HEAVY DUTY: This afternoon, we watched SpaceX launch a communications satellite (Arabsat-6A) atop the biggest rocket in the world, the Falcon Heavy.

The launch was impressive, of course, but I have to say, watching those three boosters come back down to Earth in a controlled fashion and stick their landings was phenomenal! 

Here's a link to the hour-long launch program. The actual lift off is at about the 19 minute mark, and the booster landings (there are three) start at about the 26 minute mark.