Black Hole Named ‘Powehi’ By Hawaii University Professor

A language professor has given a Hawaiian name ‘Powehi’ to the black hole depicted in the image produced in a landmark experiment.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday that University of Hawaii-Hilo Hawaiian Professor Larry Kimura named the cosmic object. The world's first image of a black hole revealed Wednesday was created using data from eight radio telescopes around the world.

Astronomers say giving it a Hawaiian name was justified because the project included two telescopes in Hawaii. Jessica Dempsey, a co-discoverer of the black hole, says the word is an excellent match for the scientific description she provided to Kimura.