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2 clusters · 4 sources · 6 days · First seen · Last updated

Supermassive black hole activity and effects

Overview

Astronomical research has highlighted the diverse ways supermassive black holes interact with their surroundings. In one study using the Chandra X-ray telescope, researchers identified a powerful jet from a black hole in the distant "Red Potato" galaxy that may be suppressing star formation by heating surrounding gas.

Further observations have detailed a rare "tidal disruption event" designated 2025abcr, in which a supermassive black hole consumed a star. This event produced an explosion peaking at approximately 10 billion times the brightness of the Sun, momentarily outshining its host galaxy.

Detected using machine learning algorithms to scan data from the Zwicky Transient Facility, the black hole—estimated to be 1 million times the mass of the Sun—was located 30,000 light-years from its galaxy's center. This represents the largest off-center tidal disruption event observed via optical methods to date. Researchers suggest the black hole may be a "wandering" or "orphan" object displaced by gravitational interactions or galactic mergers.

Entities

Weichen Wang · University of Maryland · MQN01 J004131.9-493704 (Red Potato galaxy) · Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory · Chandra X-ray Observatory

Timeline

  1. 17 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Supermassive black hole swallows star in rare cosmic explosion

    Astronomers discovered a rare tidal disruption event where a supermassive black hole, located 30,000 light-years from its galaxy's center, swallowed a star, creating a massive cosmic explosion.

  2. 22 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Supermassive Black Hole Jet Halts Star Birth in Distant 'Red Potato' Galaxy as Andromeda's Star Formation Slows

    Chandra observations reveal a black‑hole jet suppressing star birth in the distant “Red Potato” galaxy, while a new map shows Andromeda’s star formation has halved over 500 million years.

Sources

astronet.pl · kopalniawiedzy.pl · skor.sozcu.com.tr · yenicaggazetesi.com.tr

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history