Look Out Alderaan. This Black Hole Is More Destructive Than The Death Star

This illustration shows a supermassive black hole destroying a star in a tidal disruption event. The black hole's strong gravitational force pulls matter from the star toward the black hole. Some of the matter will cross the event horizon, but some of the gas is emitted as a powerful jet. Image Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF/NASA

Several years ago, an automated sky survey spotted a distant supermassive black hole that tore apart a star. The star that got too close, and the resulting tidal disruption event released a lot of energy. But the SMBH is exhibiting a strong case of cosmic indigestion, and has been burping out the remains of the star for four years. And it keeps getting brighter and brighter.

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