Astronomers from MIT and other institutions have identified an exceptionally bright red object dating back to the early universe. At first glance, it resembles an enormous star with dimensions comparable to our solar system. Its energy output, however, is extraordinary. The object is producing roughly 100 billion times more energy than any known star could physically generate, putting its power much closer to the levels associated with black holes.
That unusual combination has led researchers to propose that the red object represents an entirely new kind of astrophysical source. They are calling it a "black hole star."
A study published on August 12 in Nature describes the object and the team's analysis of observations made with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The telescope detected the bright red dot in the very early universe, only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.
A Black Hole Hidden Inside a Giant Star Like Cocoon
The researchers say the most likely explanation is a previously unseen combination of a black hole and a star. Instead of being powered by the nuclear fusion that fuels ordinary stars, the object may consist of an extremely dense cloud of gas energized by a black hole at its center.
