Supermassive Black Hole Roars to Life Before Astronomers' Eyes in World-1st Observations
A Sudden Brightening
Astronomers observed something extraordinary in the galaxy SDSS1335+0728, about 300 million light-years away. In 2019, the Zwicky Transient Facility noticed the galaxy becoming significantly brighter.

Follow-up studies showed it was four times brighter in ultraviolet light and emitting 10 times more X-rays. This brightening, which continues, suggests that the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center, a million times the mass of our sun, has suddenly become very active.
The Feeding Frenzy
Scientists believe this activity is due to the black hole consuming a large amount of new material. Black holes usually pull in gas, dust, and other cosmic debris, which heats up and emits light before being swallowed. This event marks the first time such an awakening has been observed in real time. Astronomers are unsure exactly what triggered this sudden increase in activity but speculate that the black hole found a new source of material to consume.