Astronomers say they may have discovered a previously unknown type of cosmic object that combines characteristics of stars and black holes. The object, identified as MoM-BH-1*, appears as an extremely bright red source in observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and is believed to have formed around 660 million years after the Big Bang.
The object is located billions of light years from Earth in the constellation Cetus, also known as the Whale. Researchers say its unusual light signature and enormous energy output set it apart from previously known astronomical objects.
What Is The ‘Black Hole Star’ Discovered By James Webb Telescope?
The object appears to resemble an enormous star but releases an extraordinary amount of energy. According to the researchers, its energy output is around 100 billion times greater than that of a typical known star, making a black-hole-powered explanation more plausible. “We have found a new type of astrophysical object, a black hole star,” said Dr Rohan Naidu of the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Researchers believe the object could be a black hole surrounded by an extremely dense cloud of gas. The gas may be so thick that it causes the black hole to appear and radiate like a star.
How Did Scientists Find The Mysterious Red Object?
The discovery was made while astronomers were using the James Webb Space Telescope to study some of the earliest galaxies in the universe. After identifying the extremely distant galaxy MoM-z14, which formed roughly 280 million years after the Big Bang, researchers examined other unusual objects in JWST observations.
They focused on MoM-BH-1*, described as the reddest object in the telescope’s image archive. Its light is almost entirely red and disappears sharply below a particular wavelength, a pattern the researchers say does not resemble known classes of astronomical objects. Computer simulations indicated that the source could be a black hole enveloped by dense gas rather than a conventional star powered primarily by nuclear fusion.
Could Black Hole Stars Explain The Little Red Dots?
The findings could also shed light on the mysterious Little Red Dots (LRDs) frequently detected in deep-space observations by the James Webb Space Telescope. If the researchers interpretation is correct, some of these objects could represent similar black holes surrounded by dense gas. This could provide a possible explanation for how massive black holes emerged so early in the history of the universe.
Could These Objects Be The Seeds Of Supermassive Black Holes?
Astronomers believe black hole stars could represent an early stage in the development of today’s supermassive black holes, which are found at the centres of galaxies including the Milky Way.
Dr Naidu said these objects could be the early, gas-shrouded phase in the formation of supermassive black holes. Their existence could help scientists understand how such enormous black holes formed relatively early in cosmic history. Researchers also believe supermassive black holes may influence the evolution of their host galaxies, including when stars form and when star formation slows or stops. Further observations will be needed to determine whether MoM-BH*-1 is truly a new class of black hole star and whether similar objects are widespread in the early universe.
