MIT Astronomers Detect Nearby Black Hole Devouring a Star

MIT astronomers have discovered the closest tidal disruption event (TDE) to date using infrared data, revealing a previously hidden population of TDEs in active, star-forming galaxies. The newly found TDE, labeled WTP14adbjsh, occurred in the NGC 7392 galaxy about 137 million light-years from Earth. Traditional X-ray and optical surveys may miss TDEs in star-forming galaxies due to the presence of dust that obscures the light. By searching in the infrared band, scientists can reveal more previously hidden TDEs in active, star-forming galaxies, offering a more complete picture of black holes and their host galaxies.