Astronomers observe a supermassive black hole awakening for the first time

Astronomers have made an unprecedented discovery in the cosmos: the awakening of a supermassive black hole at the center of a distant galaxy. The observations began in late 2019 when a sudden increase in the galaxy’s brightness was detected by a telescope in California. Follow-up observations from various telescopes revealed that the galaxy’s core was undergoing dramatic changes in brightness, indicating the activation of a supermassive black hole. This real-time observation provides valuable insights into the growth and evolution of black holes. The findings may help astronomers understand similar phenomena in our own galaxy.