Astronomers have been fascinated by a supermassive black hole, 1ES 1927+654, for years due to its unusual behavior. The black hole, located 270 million light-years away, has been exhibiting flashes of X-rays that have increased in frequency over two years. Researchers from MIT believe that these flashes are caused by a spinning white dwarf orbiting around the black hole.
The white dwarf is thought to be about one-tenth the mass of the sun and is orbiting at an extremely close distance from the event horizon, estimated to be within a few million miles. The team suggests that the white dwarf’s motion is causing it to emit gravitational waves, which are detectable by next-generation observatories like the European Space Agency’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).
The discovery has left scientists stunned, as it is the closest thing observed around any black hole. The researchers’ findings provide new insights into the physics of black holes and their innermost environments. The team plans to continue observing the system to better understand the extreme physics at work.
The study’s lead authors, Megan Masterson and Erin Kara, believe that this discovery will open up new avenues for research and shed light on the mysteries of black hole behavior. With LISA set to launch in the mid-2030s, the team is excited to study the system further and uncover more secrets about these enigmatic objects.
Source: https://news.mit.edu/2025/x-ray-flashes-nearby-supermassive-black-hole-accelerate-mysteriously-0113