Astronomers spot mysterious object emitting X-ray flashes at brink of a supermassive black hole

An illustration depicts a white dwarf balancing precariously near a supermassive black hole's edge of destruction. (Image: NASA)

Astronomers using the XMM-Newton telescope observed strange black hole behaviour. Located 270 million light-years away, 1ES 1927+654 baffles scientists again. It emits rapid bursts of X-rays, a rare phenomenon.

White dwarf may explain accelerating X-ray bursts
Researchers at MIT propose a daring theory for this. A white dwarf could be orbiting near the black hole's edge. This stellar remnant balances near the event horizon, defying expectations. Explosions of high-energy light from the system occur faster now. Bursts increased from once every 18 minutes to seven minutes.

"This could be the closest known object near a black hole," said Megan Masterson from MIT. She suggested white dwarfs may survive extreme environments longer than thought.

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Future observations may solve this cosmic mystery
If the white dwarf theory holds, gravitational waves could confirm it. Current detectors like LIGO aren't sensitive enough for such ripples. NASA's future LISA observatory may offer the precision needed.

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Astronomers eagerly await more data to uncover the truth. This unique behaviour challenges what scientists know about black holes. The mystery of 1ES 1927+654 continues to intrigue experts worldwide.