‘

Research Team’s Focus on Black Hole Activity

A team of researchers from institutions including MIT and Syracuse University used data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, Swift Observatory, and ESA’s XMM-Newton to study a supermassive black hole’s process of consuming material from a nearby star.

Study to Be Published

The research, led by Dheeraj Passam and colleagues, is set to be published in *The Astrophysical Journal*. The paper details the star’s interactions with the black hole and its implications for understanding how such phenomena occur.

The Black Hole System AT2018fyk

The system known as AT2018fyk, located 860 million light-years away, contains a supermassive black hole with a mass 50 million times that of the sun. Researchers found that a star on a highly elliptical orbit around the black hole has been repeatedly disrupted by tidal forces.

Tidal Disruption Event  in 2018

AT2018fyk became significantly brighter in 2018, detected by the ASAS-SN survey. Observations from Chandra and XMM-Newton revealed a tidal disruption event (TDE), where part of the star was torn apart by the black hole, producing X-ray and ultraviolet (UV) light.

Star’s Survival and Return

Contrary to initial assumptions that the star was completely destroyed, the star survived the first interaction, entering a highly elliptical orbit. Approximately two years later, it made a second close approach, causing another flare of X-ray and UV light.

Star’s Predicted  Orbital Cycle

Based on the data, the research team calculated that the star completes its orbit around the black hole every 3.5 years. After a second encounter in 2023, astronomers observed a significant drop in X-ray brightness, signaling the end of this interaction.

Next Black Hole Encounter Expected in 2025

Researchers predict that the star will approach the black hole again between May and August 2025, though this event will likely involve less material being consumed, as the star is gradually losing mass with each encounter.

Ongoing Observations of AT2018fyk

The team, including co-authors such as Muryel Guolo and Eric Coughlin, plans to continue monitoring the black hole’s activity. This will help further understand the dynamics of star-black hole interactions and how stars are gradually consumed by supermassive black holes.