Paris, France – In a groundbreaking observation, astronomers have witnessed a supermassive black hole awakening and illuminating the core of its host galaxy for the first time. This remarkable event, observed by the European Southern Observatory, has shed new light on these cosmic giants.
A Sudden Brightening
The galaxy, located 300 million light years away in the Virgo constellation, had been relatively quiet for decades. However, in late 2019, it began to shine brighter than ever before. This sudden burst of activity is centered around a supermassive black hole believed to be lurking at the galaxy's core.
Unprecedented Behavior
Paula Sanchez Saez, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory and lead author of a new study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, described the black hole's behavior as "unprecedented." The black hole has been emitting various types of radiation, a phenomenon that has intrigued scientists.
Watching a Black Hole Activate
Study co-author Lorena Hernandez Garcia suggested that the most likely explanation for this brightening is the "activation of a massive black hole in real time." Black holes, especially supermassive ones, are typically difficult to observe directly because they do not emit light. However, when they consume large amounts of matter, such as a star that has wandered too close, they can become visible.
The Sleeping Giants
Claudio Ricci, another co-author of the study, explained that these "giant monsters usually are sleeping." But in the case of galaxy SDSS J1335+0728, the black hole suddenly began consuming nearby gas, causing it to become very bright. This black hole has been estimated to have 1.5 million times the mass of the Sun, making it a supermassive black hole, though still on the lighter side compared to others which can exceed a billion solar masses.
Future Observations
The international team of astronomers is now analyzing data from various telescopes to understand whether this black hole's activity is a temporary event—possibly due to a star being torn apart—or if it will continue for a longer period. Hernandez Garcia mentioned that a similar event could happen to the Milky Way's own supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. However, for now, our galaxy's black hole remains dormant.