SUNSET: 
Where Did the First Quasars Come From?
New research shows how black holes with tens of thousands of Suns' worth of mass can form in the universe's early years.
Monstrous Black Holes Spin More Slowly — But Why?
X-ray observations add to growing evidence that the most massive black holes have a different past than their lightweight peers.
These Two Black Hole Behemoths Will Merge in 10,000 Years
Astronomers have discovered a pair of supermassive black holes that whirl around each other every two years.
Supermassive Black Hole Hides Behind a Ring of Dust
A high-resolution infrared image has revealed a dust screen obscuring a gas-devouring supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy NGC 1068, confirming 30-year-old predictions.
Dwarf Galaxies Shed Light on Black Hole Origins
Astronomers are searching nearby dwarf galaxies for the ancient origins of supermassive black holes.
Tiny Galaxy’s Giant Black Hole Throws Astronomers for a Loop
A satellite galaxy dwarfed by the Milky Way has a black hole nearly as massive as the one at the center of our galaxy.
Nearest Supermassive Black Hole Pair Discovered
Astronomers have observed a pair of supermassive black holes set to collide in 250 million years.
Astronomy in Pictures: Black Holes, Baby Stars, and Magnetic "Tunnels"
Astronomers witness the unfurling of a black hole-powered mushroom cloud, a baby super-Jupiter, and a magnetic "tunnel" around the solar system.
60-second Astro News: White Dwarfs Still Burn, Black Holes Merge
This week in astronomy news, we learn that some white dwarfs still burn and image X-rays from black holes almost 12 billion light-years away.
Watch Black Holes Grow, Galaxies Fall
Watch black holes grow and galaxies fall — astro photos and visualizations to get you through the week.
How Black Holes Eat Reveals Their Mass
No one knows why quasars flicker — but astronomers are using these wavering beacons to "weigh" the black holes that power them.
Event Horizon Telescope Reveals Curious Jet Structure from Black Hole
Observations of the nearest radio galaxy, Centaurus A, provide the highest-resolution look at the long jets shooting from the galaxy’s supermassive black hole.
Flares from the Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole
The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way released an unusual number of strong flares in 2019. Now, astronomers are trying to figure out why.
A Supermassive Black Hole on the Move
This supermassive black hole is restless, and astronomers want to know why.
This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More
Whether you're here for eye candy or a more cosmic perspective, these astronomy pictures released this week will do the trick.
What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth
The existence of a quasar when the universe was only 670 million years old is helping astronomers understand how black holes are born.
Black Hole Duo Flares Right on Time
Astronomers have forecast a flare from a supermassive black hole duo 3.5 billion light-years away.
60-Second Astro News: Black Hole Hubbub
The Milky Way's black hole' flares unexpectedly, a distant black hole gets the hiccups, and a reanalysis of LIGO data shows the first detection of black hole "ringdown."
Astronomers Discover Most Distant Lensed Quasar
The most distant magnified quasar known promises to shed light on the universe's early years.
Astronomers Use Annihilated Star to Clock Black Hole’s Spin
The glow of a star torn up by a supermassive black hole has enabled researchers to measure how fast the black hole whirls around.