A once-dormant supermassive black hole in galaxy SDSS1335+0728, about 300 million light-years away, has erupted with the most powerful and longest-lasting X-ray flares ever seen.

Nicknamed “Ansky,” the black hole began showing quasiperiodic eruptions (QPEs) in late 2019, with bursts now occurring every 4.5 days—ten times longer and more energetic than typical QPEs.

The cause of these eruptions remains unclear, challenging current theories. Scientists believe future gravitational wave missions like LISA may help unravel the mystery, Space.com has reported.

The findings were published in Nature Astronomy.

Written by B.C. Begley