Direct-Collapse Black Hole Found in Infinity Galaxy by NASA Webb
Webb Telescope Reveals a Cosmic Oddity
As NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope continues to release public data, researchers are actively mining its archives for unexpected discoveries. While reviewing images from the COSMOS-Web survey, Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University and Gabriel Brammer of the University of Copenhagen identified a rare and unusual object. They named it the Infinity Galaxy.
A Galaxy with a Unique Shape
The Infinity Galaxy stands out due to its striking shape. It features two compact, red nuclei, each encircled by a luminous ring, creating a structure that closely resembles the infinity symbol. Researchers believe this formation resulted from a direct collision between two disk galaxies, causing stars and gas to rearrange in this distinctive pattern.
A Mysterious Black Hole Between Cores
Follow-up observations revealed that the Infinity Galaxy contains an active supermassive black hole. What makes this discovery even more remarkable is its position. The black hole does not reside within either galactic core but sits in the space between them, surrounded by a vast cloud of ionized gas.
Clues to a New Formation Process
The research team proposes that this black hole may have formed through the direct collapse of a massive gas cloud. This process—long theorized but rarely observed—could help explain how some of the universe’s earliest and most massive black holes formed so quickly. The Infinity Galaxy may offer critical evidence to support this model, marking it as one of the most significant black hole discoveries from the Webb mission to date.
A New Clue to Black Hole Formation?
Pieter van Dokkum, lead author of a peer-reviewed study and principal investigator of NASA Webb’s follow-up observations, believes the recently discovered Infinity Galaxy may offer the strongest evidence yet for a direct-collapse black hole.
A Strange and Striking Galaxy
While analyzing James Webb Space Telescope data, researchers identified two compact red nuclei in the galaxy. Each is surrounded by a stellar ring, forming a shape that resembles the infinity symbol. They believe this structure resulted from a head-on collision between two disk galaxies.
A Black Hole in an Unexpected Place
Even more intriguing is the presence of a supermassive black hole. It’s not located in either galactic nucleus—but sits directly in the middle, surrounded by ionized gas. Van Dokkum suggests that the black hole may have formed recently, through the direct collapse of a massive gas cloud—a long-theorized but never confirmed process.
Two Theories of Black Hole Formation
Van Dokkum contrasts two main ideas about how supermassive black holes form. In the light seed model, small black holes form from the remnants of exploding stars and gradually merge into larger ones over time. In the heavy seed model, a massive gas cloud collapses directly into a large black hole, skipping the smaller stages. The Infinity Galaxy appears to support the heavy seed theory. The collision likely compressed gas into a dense region, which then triggered collapse.
Evidence from Chandra and the VLA
Observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Array reveal that the black hole is actively growing, pulling in surrounding matter. This active accretion strengthens the argument for in-place formation. Still, van Dokkum emphasizes caution, noting that the team has yet to prove definitively whether the black hole formed exactly where it is observed.
The Big Question Remains
Although the data is compelling, one central mystery remains: Did this black hole truly form there? If so, the Infinity Galaxy could mark the first direct observation of a newborn supermassive black hole—a groundbreaking moment in the study of the early universe.
Investigating Other Possibilities
Researchers explored two alternative explanations for the mysterious black hole. One possibility is that it’s a runaway black hole ejected from another galaxy. Another is that it belongs to a third, unseen galaxy that aligns with the Infinity Galaxy in our view. However, a faint dwarf galaxy would be difficult to spot—and these galaxies rarely host such large black holes. A runaway black hole would also move at a different speed than the surrounding gas.
Testing the Origin of the Black Hole
To test their theory, the team compared the velocity of the black hole with that of the ionized gas nearby. If the black hole formed in place, its velocity should closely match the gas—within 30 miles (or 50 kilometers) per second. They requested director’s discretionary time to conduct follow-up observations with Webb. The data confirmed an extended cloud of ionized gas between the two galactic nuclei. Importantly, the black hole sits perfectly in the center of the gas’s velocity distribution, supporting the idea it formed there.
A Rare System of Three Black Holes
The researchers made another surprising discovery: both galactic nuclei also contain active supermassive black holes. This means the system hosts three active black holes—a rare cosmic configuration. While they can’t yet confirm it as a direct-collapse black hole, the new data makes this explanation far more likely. It also helps rule out competing theories, such as a runaway or off-site black hole.
Ongoing Investigation
Although the case isn’t closed, the researchers believe they may be witnessing the birth of a supermassive black hole. They continue to analyze the data to better understand how such black holes form and evolve in the early universe.
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