Astronomers have discovered the oldest and most distant black hole ever observed, transforming our understanding of the early universe. Detailed in a study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, the finding was made using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The black hole, located in galaxy CAPERS-LRD-z9, dates back 13.3 billion years, just 500 million years after the Big Bang. Estimated to be up to 300 million times the mass of our Sun, it challenges current theories of black hole growth. This breakthrough offers new insights into galaxy formation and the rapid evolution of supermassive black holes in the infant cosmos.
James Webb Space Telescope discovers a black hole formed 500 million years after the Big Bang
The confirmed black hole resides in a galaxy called CAPERS-LRD-z9 and is estimated to have formed 13.3 billion years ago, making it the most ancient black hole discovered to date.According to the study, this supermassive black hole likely appeared when the universe was in its earliest stage, about 500 million years after the Big Bang. Researchers estimate it could be between 38 million and 300 million times the mass of our Sun, an extraordinary size for such an early era.
The study behind the discovery
The research was carried out under the CANDELS-Area Prism Epoch of Reionization Survey (CAPERS) project, part of JWST’s mission to explore the farthest reaches of the universe. The team, led by scientists from the University of Texas at Austin’s Cosmic Frontier Center, used JWST’s spectroscopic analysis to examine the light emitted by CAPERS-LRD-z9.The findings provided strong evidence that this galaxy hosts the earliest confirmed supermassive black hole ever observed.
How was the black hole detected
JWST’s infrared instruments allow astronomers to observe light that has been travelling across space for over 13 billion years. When scientists focused on mysterious objects known as Little Red Dots (LRDs), tiny red spots appearing in distant galaxy images, they discovered something unusual.By studying the light signature from CAPERS-LRD-z9, the researchers detected gas swirling at thousands of kilometres per second, a hallmark of material feeding a black hole through an accretion disk. This was the “smoking gun” evidence the team needed to confirm the black hole’s presence.
Why is it called a Little Red Dot
The term Little Red Dot refers to the appearance of these ancient galaxies in telescope images: small, bright red points of light. Two main factors cause this colour:Cosmic Redshift: As the universe expands, light from distant objects stretches into longer, redder wavelengths.Gas and Dust Clouds: The black hole is likely shrouded in dense gas, blocking blue light and giving the galaxy its vivid red hue.Computer models confirm that such gas clouds can explain the distinctive light pattern observed by JWST.
How big is the black hole
This early black hole is supermassive in every sense. The research suggests:Initial estimates: Around 38 million times the mass of the Sun.Newer models: Possibly up to 300 million times the Sun’s mass, making it one of the most massive black holes discovered in the early universe.Such rapid growth challenges long-standing theories about how black holes form and evolve.
The significance of the discovery
This finding raises fundamental questions about the early universe. Scientists now consider two possibilities:Rapid Growth Hypothesis: Black holes in the early universe grew much faster than previously thought.Massive Seed Theory: These black holes may have formed from unusually large initial masses, contradicting existing models.The research team plans to conduct more high-resolution observations with JWST to study other Little Red Dots. These efforts could reveal more ancient black holes, further unlocking the mysteries of the early cosmos.As study co-author Steven Finkelstein, director of the Cosmic Frontier Center, explains, “The discovery of Little Red Dots was a major surprise from early JWST data. Now we’re figuring out what they’re like and how they came to be.”Also read | NASA’s James Webb Telescope discovers a new moon around Uranus