**Key Takeaways:**
– Astronomers have observed the nearest instance of a supermassive black hole consuming a star in visible light.
– The event took place in NGC 3799, a galaxy actively forming stars, located 160 million light-years away in the Leo constellation.
– This discovery was made by the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy using the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN) on February 22, 2023.
– This observation provides insights into how supermassive black holes grow and accumulate material.
– Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) like this are rare to observe so close to Earth, making this a significant find for further study.
– Follow-up observations were conducted using ground- and space-based telescopes, including the Asteroid Terrestrial Last Alert System (ATLAS) and the W.M. Keck Observatory.
– The TDE, named ASASSN-23bd, is notable for its rapid brightening and dimming, categorizing it as a “low luminosity and fast TDE.”
– The findings will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
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In a groundbreaking observation, astronomers have captured the most proximate instance to date of a supermassive black hole in the act of annihilating a star, visible through light detectable by human eyes. This catastrophic event occurred within NGC 3799, a galaxy teeming with star formation, situated approximately 160 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. This violent spectacle is attributed to a black hole whose mass is equivalent to about one million suns.
The discovery was made by researchers from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, who identified the event as a tidal disruption event (TDE) after noticing a sudden increase and subsequent decrease in brightness within the barred spiral galaxy. This significant find was facilitated by the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN) on February 22, 2023.
Willem Hoogendam, a graduate student and research co-leader at the Institute for Astronomy, remarked on the uniqueness of this discovery, emphasizing its potential to enhance our understanding of the growth and material accumulation processes of supermassive black holes.
TDEs are phenomena that occur when stars come too close to supermassive black holes, which are found at the centers of large galaxies. The immense gravitational pull of these black holes exerts colossal tidal forces on the stars, stretching them vertically and compressing them horizontally, transforming them into elongated streams of stellar material. This process, known as “spaghettification,” results in the star being gradually consumed by the black hole, emitting intensely bright flares detectable from Earth.
Despite the relative commonality of TDEs, observing one so near to Earth is a rarity, making ASASSN-23bd an exceptional subject for further investigation. This discovery suggests that such catastrophic events might occur more frequently than previously believed.
Subsequent observations of the TDE in NGC 3799 were conducted using a combination of ground- and space-based telescopes, including the Institute for Astronomy’s Asteroid Terrestrial Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescopes and the W.M. Keck Observatory.
ASASSN-23bd stands out among TDEs not only due to its proximity to Earth but also because of its rapid brightening and dimming cycle, occurring over just 15 days, and its relatively low energy output. These characteristics categorize it as a “low luminosity and fast TDE.”
The team’s findings regarding ASASSN-23bd are slated for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, marking a significant contribution to our understanding of the dynamic interactions between stars and supermassive black holes.