In a surprising discovery, astronomers have found that the intense plasma jet from the supermassive black hole in galaxy M87 might be causing nearby stars to explode more frequently. Hubble Space Telescope observations reveal that stars close to the 3,000-light-year-long jet erupt more often than stars elsewhere in the galaxy, confounding scientists searching for an explanation.

Unusual Activity Near M87's Plasma Jet

The supermassive black hole at the centre of the elliptical galaxy M87 fires a powerful plasma jet through space, nearly at the speed of light. This jet has been compared to the Death Star’s beam from Star Wars, but with much more destructive potential. Hubble astronomers, however, have now discovered a puzzling new effect: stars near the jet seem to be exploding more frequently.

A Hubble Space Telescope image of the giant galaxy M87 shows a 3,000-light-year-long jet of plasma blasting from the galaxy’s 6.5-billion-solar-mass central black hole. (Image: NASA)

These stars, known as novae, occur in binary systems where one star dumps hydrogen onto a white dwarf companion. When enough hydrogen accumulates, it triggers a nuclear explosion. While novae occur throughout M87, they are notably more frequent in regions close to the black hole's jet.

Jet's Effect on Stellar Eruptions

Researchers initially hypothesised that the jet might be fuelling these explosions by enhancing the transfer of hydrogen between binary stars. However, after running calculations, this theory was dismissed. The exact mechanism remains a mystery, leaving astronomers scratching their heads over how this jet is influencing its surrounding space.

"There’s something missing in our understanding of how black hole jets interact with stars," said Alec Lessing, lead author of the research published in The Astrophysical Journal. His team found twice as many novae near the jet than elsewhere in the galaxy, suggesting that the jet could be affecting the nova formation process or making existing novae erupt more frequently.

Hubble's Unique Capabilities

The findings come from Hubble's advanced imaging capabilities, which allow astronomers to see novae even against the bright backdrop of M87's core. Ground-based telescopes are unable to resolve such detail due to interference from the galaxy’s light. Hubble's observations revealed 94 novae in just one-third of the galaxy, providing compelling evidence of the jet's influence.

“We didn't need complex statistics to see the trend," said Michael Shara from the American Museum of Natural History. "The increase in novae along the jet was clear once we mapped them onto M87."

While the findings have shed light on the unusual environment near M87's black hole, much remains unknown. Researchers are now looking into other possible explanations, including the effect of the jet’s radiation on nearby stars. Could it be pushing hydrogen onto white dwarfs or altering the way stars behave? As scientists continue to study this cosmic phenomenon, the mysteries of the M87 jet – and its explosive effects – remain unsolved.