Huge black hole suddenly awakens in constellation Virgo: It is million times more massive than the Sun

360 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo, in the center of the galaxy SDSS1335+0728, a huge black hole a million times more massive than the Sun suddenly awakened. The hole was discovered by astronomers from the European Southern Observatory in Germany. The study, published in the scientific journal Astronomy and Astrophysics (A&A), details this rare and fascinating process.

The first change in luminosity in this unremarkable region of deep space was recorded in 2019. Since then, scientists have been monitoring the site, allowing them to witness a unique phenomenon.

The researchers observed that galaxy SDSS1335+0728 doubled its brightness in the mid-infrared, became four times brighter in the ultraviolet, and at least 10 times brighter in X-rays. These significant changes indicate active processes in the center of the galaxy caused by the awakening of the black hole.

Astronomers also considered an alternative theory, linking the glow from the core of a distant galaxy to a tidal disruption event. This is the process by which a black hole tears apart a star that gets too close. However, such events usually last no more than a year, which does not correspond to the long-term changes observed in this case.

The discovery of the awakening of a supermassive black hole in the galaxy SDSS1335+0728 provides scientists with a unique opportunity to study active processes in the nuclei of galaxies. Continued observations will help to better understand the nature of black holes and their impact on the environment.

What is known about black holes today? What will happen to a person if he “falls” into a black hole? The answer to this question can be found in the video as part of NEWS.am’s new project.