An international group of astronomers has managed to observe the appearance of a black hole jet in real time for the first time. The unique phenomenon occurred in the galaxy 1ES 1927+654, located 270 million light years from Earth in the constellation Draco. The study was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (AJL).

What are jets?

Jets, or jet streams, are powerful plasma emissions that erupt from the poles of active black holes at near-light speeds. These structures are formed when matter from the accretion disk is absorbed by the black hole, and some of the energy is ejected outward.

Observation details

Researchers note that the registered jet is moving at a speed reaching 30% of the speed of light. Its formation began in 2018 after a burst of activity in the center of the galaxy. Scientists associate this with a possible tidal disruption event, when a star, gas cloud, or other large object came too close to the black hole, causing it to increase in brightness and subsequently eject matter.

Jet characteristics

Compared to the massive jets emanating from larger black holes in active galactic nuclei, the jet stream from 1ES 1927+654 is relatively modest in size. However, its observation is an important step in studying the processes occurring near black holes.

Significance of the discovery

Recording the formation of the jet in real time gives scientists a unique opportunity to better understand how these cosmic structures are born. The discovery helps to clarify the models of interactions between black holes and their environment and the processes associated with their activity.

Researchers plan to continue observing the galaxy 1ES 1927+654 using ground-based and space telescopes to study the nature of such phenomena in more detail.