A team of astronomers led by Chilean astronomer Paula Sánchez Saez have recently discovered a supermassive black hole that had been dormant for years, but is now emitting radiation at the center of its host galaxy in the constellation Virgo. Located 300 million light years away, this galaxy suddenly became much brighter in late 2019. The scientists believe that this unprecedented behavior is due to the activation of the massive black hole in the galaxy.
The bright glow observed in the galaxy is thought to be a result of the black hole feeding on the gas in its surroundings. This activity is rare and provides scientists with a unique opportunity to observe the awakening of a supermassive black hole. Despite having 1.5 million times more mass than the Sun, this black hole is considered a featherweight compared to those with over 1 billion times the mass of the Sun.
Supermassive black holes are typically dormant, but in this case, scientists are monitoring the black hole’s activity to determine if it will continue to be active for an extended period or if it is just a temporary occurrence. While this awakening of the supermassive black hole is rare, it provides valuable insight into their behavior and how they impact their host galaxies. The team of astronomers plans to continue studying this galaxy and its black hole in hopes of understanding more about the process of black hole activation and its impact on surrounding galaxies.
