A star’s violent death exposed a hidden supermassive black hole
A supermassive black hole has been found lurking about 30,000 light-years from the center of its galaxy—the first dormant black hole detected so far from a galactic core. It revealed itself only after shredding a passing star and producing a brief, brilliant flare. Astronomers think it may be the remnant of a devoured galaxy or a black hole flung outward during a chaotic cosmic encounter.
A team of astronomers from the University of Maryland has discovered an inactive supermassive black hole located far from the center of its host galaxy. This marks the first time scientists have found a dormant black hole at such a great distance from a galactic core. The black hole was detected when it tore apart a passing star, causing a brief but powerful burst of light.
This discovery suggests that there may be many more wandering black holes throughout the universe, which could help scientists understand how galaxies evolve and merge. The team used the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), an artificial intelligence program, to identify the event, demonstrating that these elusive objects can be detected using conventional sky surveys combined with machine learning.
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