A Sudden Brightening
Astronomers observed something extraordinary in the galaxy SDSS1335+0728, about 300 million light-years away. In 2019, the Zwicky Transient Facility noticed the galaxy becoming significantly brighter.
Follow-up studies showed it was four times brighter in ultraviolet light and emitting 10 times more X-rays. This brightening, which continues, suggests that the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s center, a million times the mass of our sun, has suddenly become very active.
The Feeding Frenzy
Scientists believe this activity is due to the black hole consuming a large amount of new material. Black holes usually pull in gas, dust, and other cosmic debris, which heats up and emits light before being swallowed. This event marks the first time such an awakening has been observed in real time. Astronomers are unsure exactly what triggered this sudden increase in activity but speculate that the black hole found a new source of material to consume.
Future Observations
Researchers will continue observing the galaxy to understand better what caused this dramatic change. They aim to determine if this was a tidal disruption event, where a star or matter is torn apart by the black hole’s gravity, or another phenomenon. These observations will help scientists learn more about how black holes grow and evolve, with future studies using advanced instruments like the Extremely Large Telescope expected to provide more insights.
This unprecedented observation opens up many new possibilities for understanding black hole behavior and their impact on their surroundings. The continuing study of SDSS1335+0728 might reveal crucial details about the life cycles of these enigmatic cosmic giants, shedding light on their growth patterns and how these are influencing their host galaxies. With ongoing advancements in observational technology, astronomers hope to catch more of these rare events in action, deepening our comprehension of the universe’s most mysterious objects.