Astronomers have discovered a black hole consuming matter at 40 times its theoretical limit, challenging our understanding of how these cosmic giants grow.
Why it matters: This discovery could solve the mystery of how supermassive black holes grew so quickly in the early universe. It provides the first observational evidence of super-Eddington accretion in action.
- Previously, scientists couldn’t explain how massive black holes formed so soon after the Big Bang.
Key finding: The black hole, dubbed LID-568, is feeding at rates far beyond what physics suggested was possible, while releasing powerful gas outflows.
“This black hole is having a feast. This extreme case shows that a fast-feeding mechanism above the Eddington limit is one of the possible explanations for why we see these very heavy black holes so early in the universe.”
Julia Scharwächter, NOIRLab astronomer
The process:
- Used unique infrared capabilities to observe X-ray bright galaxies
- Employed innovative integral field spectroscopy to capture detailed data
- Combined observations from multiple telescopes (JWST and Chandra)
Keep in mind: These extreme feeding events are likely temporary and rare, but their impact on black hole growth could be significant.
Real-world impact:
- Advances our understanding of universe formation
- Demonstrates the capabilities of new space telescope technology
- Could lead to revisions in theoretical physics models
TL;DR
- A black hole discovered 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang is consuming matter at unprecedented rates.
- The discovery helps explain how supermassive black holes formed so quickly in the early universe.
- The finding was only possible due to JWST’s advanced capabilities and innovative observation techniques.
Read the Paper
A super-Eddington-accreting black hole ~1.5 Gyr after the Big Bang observed with JWST