NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a rare “rogue” supermassive black hole—nicknamed “Space Jaws”—600 million light-years away, devouring a star in a dramatic tidal disruption event (TDE).
Unlike typical TDEs, this black hole, with a mass equal to 1 million suns, is not at the center of its galaxy, suggesting a population of wandering black holes.
Researchers believe it may have been displaced by a past triple-black-hole interaction or galaxy merger, Newsweek has reported.
The discovery, detailed in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, opens new possibilities for finding off-center black holes.
Written by B.C. Begley
