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The newly discovered supermassive black hole could potentially address intricate astronomical enigmas.
Image: NASA
Observations collected by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have unveiled an actively operational supermassive black hole with a mass ten million times that of the Sun.
This black hole is currently in a vigorous state, gravitationally pulling matter from the surrounding space.
This massive supermassive black hole could possibly be the earliest-forming one discovered in the universe. It was found within one of the earliest-discovered galaxies, CEERS_1019.
This discovery might help answer a long-standing question about how black holes in the universe grow to such immense sizes in a relatively short period.
The breakthrough was led by a research team headed by astrophysicist Rebecca Larson from the University of Texas, USA.
Initially, Larson observed CEERS_1019 to study the light generated by star formation in the ancient universe. This light, known as Lyman-alpha radiation, is believed to be produced by the ionization of neutral hydrogen due to star-forming activities. The early universe was filled with neutral hydrogen fog, hindering the transmission of light. Only after this hydrogen was ionized could light travel freely.
This matter remains mysterious. CEERS_1019 and a few other early galaxies are excellent candidates for this study due to their relatively high brightness.
After the appearance of JWST, CEERS_1019 became more discernible. The space telescope yielded a multitude of data within just an hour of observation.
The data led to intriguing discoveries. Typically, a galaxy in the early universe emits light from either an active galactic nucleus (AGN) or from star formation. Witnessing both within the same galaxy, CEERS_1019, is remarkably unexpected.
Some studies suggest that black holes are dominated by AGN radiation.
Therefore, Larson and her colleagues believe that CEERS_1019 might serve as an intermediary point to explore how galaxies are influenced by both AGN and their black holes’ development.
Larson explains, “We still don’t know how black holes in those galaxies grew to be so massive in the early universe. So, we study the ancestral galaxies that may have played a role in developing these supermassive black holes.”
Looking at the immense black hole within CEERS_1019, researchers posit that it formed from the collapse of a massive object, such as one of the first stars in the universe. These stars were much larger than the stars we have today.
The best way to learn more about them is through intermediate galaxies. The anticipated observational data is expected to reveal galaxies further away, aiding our understanding of how the universe originated and matured.