Newly published observations provide the first real evidence supporting a theory that tells us how black hole jets form.
supermassive black holes
Astronomers Gauge Spin in Black Hole Duo
Astronomers have measured the spin of one of the universe's most massive black holes — and provided evidence that the behemoth has a companion.
Binary Quasar Is No Illusion
A close pair of quasars in Pisces turns out just that, not the record-breaking gravitational lens that astronomers had hoped.
Black Hole Binary En Route to Merger?
Astronomers poring through two decades of archival and survey observations have discovered what looks like a pair of supermassive black holes closing in for a merger.
Black Hole Feeds on Star for a Decade
Unlucky stars serve as brilliant but short-lived snacks when they wander too close to supermassive black holes. But one such black hole is still gnawing on its stellar meal after a decade.
Black Hole Too Big for its Breeches
A supermassive black hole in the early universe is at least 10 times too heavy for its host galaxy, raising questions about galaxy and black hole coevolution.
Black Hole Trio Found
Astronomers have discovered that one member of a pair of supermassive black holes is actually a pair itself, turning the system into the most distant black hole triplet yet detected and raising hopes for future discoveries.
Black Hole Trio Questioned
New data shed light on last month’s exciting discovery of a black hole triplet — but they suggest instead that the threesome is really just a twosome.
Black Holes Tango in Distant Galaxy
A bizarre X-ray flare first spotted in 2010 could be a signal from two black holes that will ultimately unite into a single beast.
Distant Black Hole’s Spin Clocked
A new measurement could be the farthest back in time astronomers have ever reached when measuring a black hole’s spin.
Does the Nearest Quasar Host a Black Hole Binary?
Astronomers are investigating a new technique for finding close pairs of supermassive black holes, and they might have found one in the nearest quasar.
Evicted Black Hole or Weird Supernova?
Orphaned black hole or weird supernova? A mysterious source of radiation has left astronomers contemplating exotic explanations.
Gravitational Waves Dethrone Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole not sitting in its customary seat at the center of its galaxy. Gravitational waves from a recent merger may have ejected the black hole.
Hubble Images Tangled Web in Nearby Galaxy
A Hubble image of a nearby, massive elliptical galaxy reveals tenuous filaments that appear to be connected to the growth of the galaxy's supermassive black hole.
Hubble Investigates Ghosts of Quasars Past
A galaxy-size blob of gas discovered eight years ago by a Dutch schoolteacher has galvanized the study of the spectral remains of once-bright quasars.
Is There a Difference Between Starving and Feasting Black Holes?
A few decades ago, astronomers thought they had figured out how quasars operate. Now, a new study has thrown a wrench in the works.
Milky Way’s Black Hole Is Throwing Cosmic Spitballs
Every now and then, the Milky Way’s central, supermassive black hole tears apart a star and flings away some of its innards. Now astronomers think they know how to spot these cosmic spitballs.
Mystery Signal from a Black Hole-Powered Jet
Astronomers have spotted what appears to be a regular signal coming from the blazar PG 1553+113.
New Evidence for Black Hole Binary
Astronomers have confirmed that the quasar PG 1302-102 is probably a binary supermassive black hole, its members less than a tenth of a light-year apart.
Revealing Hidden Black Holes
The NuSTAR telescope has spied high-energy X-rays from five supermassive black holes shrouded in a thick veil of dust and gas, a test run that will lead to a better census of these hidden beasts.
Ring Found Around a Galaxy’s “Hidden” Black Hole
A team of astronomers has taken a close look at a nearby galaxy — and discovered an unusual structure that sheds light on supermassive black holes’ relationships with their host galaxies.
Runaway Black Hole Flees Behemoth Galaxy
Astronomers have spotted a supermassive black hole in a stripped-down galaxy racing away from a near-fatal close encounter in the center of a galaxy cluster.
Setting Limits to Black Hole Gluttony
Black holes may have a limit to how much they can eat in the public eye.
Small Galaxy Boasts Big Black Hole
Astronomers have detected a supermassive black hole in the center of a tiny galaxy — where it has no right to be.
Supermassive Black Holes Discovered in Close Tango
Astronomers have found what could be the closest known pair of supermassive black holes detected via direct imaging, orbiting each other only a light-year apart.