Astronomers Witness Unusual Activity in Distant Galaxy
Astronomers have observed an extraordinary event: a supermassive black hole “awakening” and illuminating its host galaxy, as reported by the European Southern Observatory on Tuesday. This groundbreaking observation was made in a galaxy located 300 million light years from Earth in the Virgo constellation.
A sudden brightening
After decades of inactivity, the galaxy in question began to shine with unprecedented brightness in late 2019. At its core, where a supermassive black hole resides, a range of radiations began to emit. Paula Sanchez Saez, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory and lead author of a new study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, described this phenomenon as “unprecedented.”
Real-time activation
The unexpected brightening is believed to signify the activation of the massive black hole. Lorena Hernandez Garcia, a co-author of the study, explained that the astronomers may have witnessed this activation in real time. While most galaxies, including the Milky Way, harbor supermassive black holes at their centers, these entities are typically invisible, as their immense gravitational pull prevents even light from escaping.
Black holes usually remain dormant unless an event triggers activity, such as the destruction of a nearby star. Claudio Ricci, another study co-author, noted that the black hole in galaxy SDSS1335+0728 suddenly began to consume surrounding gas, becoming significantly brighter. This supermassive black hole, with a mass 1.5 million times that of the Sun, is relatively light compared to others that exceed a billion solar masses.
Ongoing analysis
The international team of astronomers is now examining data from various telescopes to determine if the black hole’s activity is a temporary occurrence or a prolonged event. This could be due to a star being torn apart or other factors. Hernandez Garcia speculated that a similar event could potentially occur with the Milky Way’s own supermassive black hole, Sgr A*, which remains inactive for now.
This unprecedented observation offers a unique glimpse into the dynamic behavior of supermassive black holes, furthering our understanding of these enigmatic cosmic giants.