Astronomers observe monster black hole forming in real-time, spitting out X-ray jets at immense speed

An artist's depiction showcases the longest black hole jet system ever recorded. Dubbed Porphyrion, after a legendary Greek giant, the jets stretch an astonishing 7 megaparsecs, equivalent to 23 million light-years. (Image: E. Wernquist / D. Nelson)

For the first time, scientists have witnessed a supermassive black hole releasing jets of material at immense speeds. The discovery offers a glimpse into how these powerful jets emerge, travelling at one-third the speed of light.

Rare Real-Time Observation

The supermassive black hole, with a mass 1.4 billion times that of the sun, resides in galaxy 1ES 1927+654. This galaxy lies about 270 million light-years away in the Draco constellation. Astronomers observed two jets, each stretching half a light-year, erupting from the black hole.

"This is the first time we've watched a jet form," said Eileen Meyer, lead researcher at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She explained that earlier activity in 2023 hinted at the jet’s emergence but was obscured by dense gas until recently.

The active galaxy 1ES 1927+654, highlighted here, has displayed remarkable transformations since 2018. (Image: Pan-STARRS)

Jets like these are common in active galactic nuclei, where black holes consume surrounding gas and dust. Magnetic fields around the poles accelerate particles, creating collimated streams of plasma. However, seeing this process unfold in real time is unprecedented.

Sleeping Giant Awakens

The black hole in 1ES 1927+654 first caught astronomers’ attention in 2018, when it emitted a flare seen in X-ray, optical, and ultraviolet light. After lying dormant for a year, it erupted again in 2023.

Researchers then used the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to study the galaxy. The VLBA’s high resolution revealed radio wave flares and jets erupting on both sides of the black hole. Observations between February and May 2024 showed the jets growing to remarkable sizes.

Initially, the jets were hidden by dense gas near the black hole. By mid-2024, the plasma streams had expanded to half a light-year each. These findings were presented at the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society and published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Scientists believe this discovery offers new insights into jet formation. It could help explain how magnetic fields near black holes accelerate particles to extreme speeds. Future research will focus on these jets to better understand their development and impact on the surrounding universe.