What is this mysterious ‘black hole star’?
News Desk
Islamabad: Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified an unusual object from the early universe that could represent a previously unknown type of cosmic body, a huge hole surrounded by an dense cloud of gas.
The object, identified as MOOM-BH-Star-1, was detected in observations of the universe only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Researchers say its unusual combination of extreme brightness, reddish appearance and composition has prompted them to consider whether it could be a “black hole star”.
The study, published in the journal Nature, was led by researchers including MIT astronomer Rohan Naidu. Scientists say the object appears to be almost as large as our solar system, while its estimated energy output could be around 100 billion times greater than that of an ordinary star.
Unlike conventional stars, which generate energy through nuclear fusion, the proposed object may be powered by an active black hole at its centre. Researchers estimate that the central black hole could have a mass roughly 100,000 times that of the Sun.
According to the researchers’ model, the black hole could be surrounded by an exceptionally dense cloud of hydrogen gas. As material falls towards the black hole, it releases enormous amounts of energy, potentially making the surrounding gas glow and giving the entire structure a star-like appearance.
The object was identified during the Mirage astronomical survey, which is focused on finding some of the earliest galaxies and other objects in the universe. While examining James Webb images, researchers noticed a particularly bright and red object whose characteristics did not neatly correspond to known stars or galaxies.
Further analysis indicated that its light contained little evidence of elements other than hydrogen and helium. Researchers then used computer simulations to test different explanations for its unusual properties. One model suggested that a dense hydrogen cloud surrounding an active black hole could account for both its brightness and reddish colour.
The finding could also offer a possible explanation for some of the mysterious “little red dots” that James Webb has detected in the early universe. If the black hole-star interpretation is confirmed, scientists say some of these enigmatic objects could similarly consist of growing black holes hidden inside dense clouds of gas.
However, researchers stress that the nature of MOOM-BH-Star-1 has not yet been conclusively established. Further observations will be needed to determine whether the object is genuinely a new class of astronomical body or can be explained through a more familiar cosmic phenomenon.
If confirmed, the discovery could provide an important clue to one of astronomy’s biggest questions: how enormous black holes managed to form and grow so rapidly in the early universe.
