NASA Spacecraft Detects Unprecedented X-ray Eruptions from Supermassive Black Hole

A newly observed supermassive black hole located at the heart of the galaxy SDSS1335+0728, around 300 million light-years away, has been erupting in a series of powerful X-ray blasts, offering astronomers a rare and valuable opportunity to study its behavior in real time, Space.com reports.

This black hole, once inactive for decades, has begun to show unprecedented activity, marking the start of a phase where it is actively devouring surrounding matter and erupting with what are known as quasiperiodic eruptions (QPEs).

The galaxy’s center, which hosts this supermassive black hole, contains an active galactic nucleus (AGN), an energetic region powered by the black hole’s activity. The black hole, dubbed “Ansky” by the research team, was first detected exhibiting significant activity in late 2019. By February 2024, astronomers had begun observing regular X-ray flares, allowing for continuous monitoring of this celestial phenomenon.

According to Joheen Chakraborty from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the X-ray bursts from Ansky are particularly remarkable.

“The bursts of X-rays from Ansky are ten times longer and ten times more luminous than what we see from a typical QPE,” Chakraborty explained. “Each of these eruptions is releasing a hundred times more energy than we have seen elsewhere. Ansky’s eruptions also show the longest cadence ever observed, with a period of about 4.5 days.”

This level of activity is pushing the limits of current models of black hole behavior and challenging existing theories about how X-ray flashes are generated. The eruptions observed from Ansky are considerably more intense and sustained than those typically seen from other supermassive black holes, adding complexity to astronomers’ understanding of these cosmic giants.

Quasiperiodic eruptions have long been associated with supermassive black holes consuming stars and ripping them apart, a process that often generates intense X-ray emissions. However, Ansky’s activity is puzzling because there is no evidence that it is currently capturing and consuming stars. This raises questions about the underlying cause of the black hole’s outbursts.

For QPEs, scientists had previously theorized that smaller celestial objects were being captured by the black hole and spiraling toward it. However, Ansky’s eruptions seem to defy this explanation, suggesting that there may be a different process at play.

“Ansky’s eruptions seem to be telling us a different story,” noted Erwan Quintin, ESA Research Fellow and X-ray astronomer.

Researchers have also noted the potential connection between these repetitive X-ray bursts and gravitational waves, which could be detected by ESA’s future mission LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), set to launch in 2037. The combination of X-ray observations and gravitational wave data is expected to offer a deeper insight into the behavior of massive black holes.

The team’s groundbreaking observations were made possible through collaboration with multiple space missions, including the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and NASA’s Chandra, NICE, and eROSITA missions. These efforts have provided an exceptional dataset, allowing scientists to monitor Ansky’s activity in detail over an extended period.

The research team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Astronomy in March 2025.