Why does it take 5 petabytes (5,242,880 gigabytes) to get an image of a black hole?

 Capturing an image of a black hole is an incredible scientific achievement that involved the collaboration of multiple radio telescopes worldwide. The image we have of the black hole in the galaxy M87 was obtained through a process known as very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI), involving several radio telescopes scattered across the globe. These telescopes worked together as an array, creating a virtual Earth-sized telescope capable of capturing the fine details of the black hole's surroundings.

The immense data requirement—5 petabytes or 5,242,880 gigabytes—stems from the method used to capture this image. Radio telescopes in different locations gathered radio waves emitted by the superheated matter swirling around the black hole's event horizon. These radio waves, collected at different points on Earth, were then correlated and synchronized using incredibly precise atomic clocks. As a result, the collated data essentially created a single, high-resolution image, requiring an enormous amount of storage and computational power to process.

The resolution of the final image required this immense data collection. The size of the telescope array effectively determined the image's resolution—more precisely, the ability to distinguish fine details. Therefore, to create an image with such unprecedented clarity, the data from all these telescopes needed to be meticulously gathered, synchronized, and processed. The 5 petabytes of data were essential for scientists to reconstruct and unveil the unprecedented image of the black hole's event horizon, marking a significant milestone in astrophysics and our understanding of these cosmic phenomena.