COSMOS MAGAZINE

Astronomers spot biggest explosion since the Big Bang

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Astronomers have detected a rare, extremely energetic explosion when stars at least 3 times bigger than the Sun wandered too close to a supermassive black hole.

An unlucky massive star approaches a supermassive black hole. Credit: University of Hawaiʻi.

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

It's the first time this event has been observed, leading to a new class of cosmic phenomena being named: “extreme nuclear transients”, or ENTs.

An infrared Echo tells us that a dusty torus surrounds the central black hole and newly-formed accretion disk. Credit: University of Hawaiʻi.

The result was an unprecedented cosmic explosion. 

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

 Credit: University of Hawaiʻi.

These blasts are up to 25 times more powerful than the brightest supernova ever recorded and can stay luminous for years.

One ENT, Gaia18cdj, released in a single year the same energy our Sun would emit over 100 entire lifetimes.

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Unlike typical black hole activity, ENTs shine with smooth, long-lasting light — hinting at the slow consumption of massive stars.

Because ENTs are so bright and distant, they offer a rare glimpse into black hole growth during the universe’s most active era.

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF

Windows 98 Windows 95 GIF