Black hole feasts on star far from galaxy center
A supermassive black hole was caught snacking on a star far from its galaxy's center, puzzling astronomers.
Why it matters
- First detection of a tidal disruption event far from a galaxy's core.
- Challenges existing models of black hole behavior and galaxy dynamics.
By the numbers
- 2,600 light-years from galaxy center.
- Two radio outbursts detected at 131 and 194 days after initial discovery.
The big picture
- Supermassive black holes typically reside at galaxy centers.
- This event suggests galaxy mergers may fling black holes outward.
- Could lead to more discoveries of off-center tidal disruption events.
What they're saying
- Astronomers speculate galaxy mergers could cause such off-center events.
- One coauthor notes the unusual outflow and confirms the black hole's odd location.
Caveats
- Exact cause of the black hole's location is still speculative.
- The nature of the radio emissions is not fully understood.
What’s next
- Astronomers may start looking for more off-center tidal disruption events.
- Further observations could help refine theoretical models.