Astronomers have detected a giant black hole consuming a star in a distant galaxy, in an event observed unusually far from the galaxy's center, according to CNN Brasil.
The discovery, made with the help of artificial intelligence, marks the first time such an event has been seen this far from a galactic nucleus, the outlet reports. CNN Brasil describes the black hole as "wandering" or "errant," noting that it has already destroyed a star.
The finding challenges conventional assumptions about where supermassive black holes reside and where they can feed, according to coverage from CNN Brasil and other outlets tracking the research. Typically, such destructive events are observed near the centers of galaxies, where most giant black holes are thought to sit. This event, however, occurred at a significant distance from the core, raising questions about how the black hole ended up there.
The observation was made possible through AI-assisted analysis, which helped researchers identify the signal among vast amounts of data, according to reports from CBN. The exact size of the black hole and the precise distance from the galaxy's center were not detailed in the available reporting.
The event adds to a growing body of evidence that some supermassive black holes are not stationary at galaxy centers but can drift through their host galaxies, occasionally capturing and tearing apart stars that stray too close.
Researchers will likely continue studying this event to better understand how such black holes become displaced and what their wandering behavior means for galaxy evolution. Future surveys using AI may uncover more of these rare events, helping to map the population of rogue black holes across the universe.
