Astronomers have identified a new cosmic entity, tentatively named a "black hole star," which may provide crucial insights into the early universe. This unique object, cataloged as MoM-BH*-1, was discovered accidentally by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) during a survey aimed at identifying the universe's oldest galaxies.
MoM-BH*-1 is described as a bright red dot located in the early universe. It possesses a star-like gas cloud spanning the size of the solar system, but also contains a black hole component 100,000 times the mass of the sun. This hybrid object emits 100 times more energy than any known stellar formation and is 100 billion times brighter than an average star, so luminous that it outshines its host galaxy.
Astronomers are calling the discovery "one in a billion" due to its unprecedented nature. "It is a very special thing to find an object with no comparison given the vast stores of data on billions of stars, galaxies, and black holes that we have in our archival databases," Rohan Naidu, an astrophysicist at MIT and study author, stated.
This discovery is particularly significant because it could help explain the nature of enigmatic "little red dots" observed by the JWST. These crimson specks, prevalent in the universe's first two billion years after the Big Bang, have been theorized to be various celestial bodies, including supermassive stars, galaxies, or supermassive black holes shrouded in gas. The existence of MoM-BH*-1 suggests that these early cosmic objects may indeed be black hole stars, with their scarlet hue attributed to gas rather than dust as previously hypothesized.
Understanding the composition and formation of these early black hole stars could resolve discrepancies between current cosmological models and the observed sizes of supermassive black holes in the early universe. Researchers plan to conduct further observations with the JWST starting in December to investigate the precise size and atmospheric composition of MoM-BH*-1 and similar phenomena, hoping to deepen the understanding of the universe's initial stages.