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Astronomers watch a supermassive black hole turn on for the first time

The observation will help researchers better understand active galactic nuclei

illustration of black hole turning on

A supermassive black hole in galaxy SDSS1335+0728 has lit up, possibly giving astronomers a look at how such beasts are awakened.

M. Kornmesser/ESO

By Adam Mann

Somewhere in the not-too-distant universe, a galaxy named SDSS1335+0728 is waking up.

Over the past four years, astronomers have been able to watch the supermassive black hole in SDSS1335+0728’s center go from dim and quiet to bright and active, the first time such a transition has been observed in real time, researchers report June 18 in Astronomy and Astrophysics.