Astronomers have spotted an exceptionally rare type of black hole that is currently eating a star in space, using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The telescope team discovered the black hole, known as NGC 6099 HLX-1, in data collected from 2009 and followed up with further observations.
The black hole is considered an “intermediate-mass black hole” (IMBH), a type of black hole that falls between small and supermassive black holes. IMBHs are rare because they do not produce enough radiation to be detected by current space telescopes, making them difficult to study.
The telescope team observed NGC 6099 HLX-1 in the X-ray spectrum, which revealed evidence that a small cluster of stars was surrounding the suspected IMBH. This provided sustenance for the black hole, allowing it to grow and become more luminous.
Researchers believe that IMBHs may continue growing and eventually become supermassive black holes through coalescence with other IMBHs or satellite black holes. However, studying these objects is challenging due to their rarity and the limited observation time of current space telescopes.
The recent discovery of NGC 6099 HLX-1 provides an opportunity for scientists to study this rare phenomenon further and shed light on the formation and evolution of intermediate-mass black holes.
Source: https://petapixel.com/2025/07/25/scientists-spot-an-exceptionally-rare-intermediate-black-hole-eating-a-star