
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.

The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
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.

Rotating Gas in a Quasar’s Heart
Astronomers have “imaged” gas as it orbits a supermassive black hole some 2 billion light-years away.

60-Second Astro News: A Carnivorous Quasar and a Galaxy Ghost
In astronomy news this week: The most luminous quasar known in the cosmos is devouring three galaxy companions, while a newly discovered ghostly satellite of the Milky Way hints at hordes more just waiting to be found.

Video: The Glow of Spiraling Black Holes
New calculations reveal what two supermassive black holes about to merge would look like in ultraviolet and X-rays.

Middleweight Black Holes Provide Window to Early Universe
How did supermassive black holes form? Two studies discovered dozens of middling-mass black holes in dwarf galaxies to fuel an ongoing debate.

Do Big Black Holes Wander the Galaxy?
New simulation work suggests that galaxies like the Milky Way could be home to a dozen supermassive black holes.

60-Second Astro News: Imaging Black Hole Jets and Distant Stars
Astronomy news this week: Hubble images the most distant star, radio telescopes combine forces to probe black hole jet, and neutron star hotspots explained.

Astronomers Watch Donut Rotate Around Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have detected a torus rotating around the supermassive black hole at the center of spiral galaxy Messier 77, collecting observations that may shed light on why these weird structures exist.

60-Second Astro News: Black Holes Galore
Supermassive black holes are difficult to observe and measure, yet they have profound effects on their host galaxies. Read up on the latest black hole discoveries presented at the Washington D.C. meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

Astronomers Decode a Black Hole Jet
Two telescopes — one on the ground and one in space — watched a black hole’s jet turn on, enabling astronomers to probe its origin.

Is There a Difference Between Starving and Feasting Black Holes?
A few decades ago, astronomers thought they had figured out how quasars operate. Now, a new study has thrown a wrench in the works.

Supermassive Black Holes Discovered in Close Tango
Astronomers have found what could be the closest known pair of supermassive black holes detected via direct imaging, orbiting each other only a light-year apart.

Supermassive Black Holes Observed in Close Dance
Astronomers monitoring a tight pair of supermassive black holes have observed their orbital motion.

Ring Found Around a Galaxy’s “Hidden” Black Hole
A team of astronomers has taken a close look at a nearby galaxy — and discovered an unusual structure that sheds light on supermassive black holes’ relationships with their host galaxies.

Gravitational Waves Dethrone Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole not sitting in its customary seat at the center of its galaxy. Gravitational waves from a recent merger may have ejected the black hole.