Scientists detect the biggest black hole flare ever seen
Cause of record-setting black hole flare revealed
- Scientists have observed the most energetic flare ever seen emanating from a supermassive black hole, located approximately 11 billion light-years from Earth.
- At its peak, the flare was 10 trillion times brighter than the sun and 30 times more luminous than any previously observed black hole flare.
- The phenomenon is believed to have been caused by a large star, estimated to be 30 to 200 times the mass of the sun, being pulled into the black hole.
- As the star's material was 'spaghettified' and fell into the black hole, it heated up and emitted the powerful flare.
- The flare, which peaked in June 2018, is still ongoing but diminishing in luminosity, with the entire process expected to take about 11 years to complete.