‘100 billion times more powerful than a star’: Viral ‘black hole star’ discovery leaves internet in awe | Viral news
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Astronomers may have found a strange object from the early universe that combines a black hole with dense gas, which could explain the mysterious “little red dots” on the James Webb Space Telescope.
This strange object, nicknamed a “black hole star,” could provide a new explanation for some of the mysterious red dots spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope (Image-X/@latestinspace).
Astronomers may have identified an unusual type of cosmic object that could provide new clues about some of the most puzzling observations made by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The object, described as a potential ‘black hole star’, appears to combine properties associated with both a massive star and a rapidly feeding black hole.
Astronomers may have stumbled upon a strange cosmic object unlike anything ever observed before. Dubbed a potential “black hole star,” this object appears to blur the line between a giant star and a rapidly feeding black hole, and could help explain some of the James Webb Space Telescope’s most mysterious discoveries.
The discovery gained attention online after a post shared by the X account @latestinspace went viral. The publication claimed that astronomers have discovered an entirely new type of cosmic object called a “black hole star,” describing it as roughly the size of our solar system and capable of producing much more energy than regular stars.
According to the publication, the discovery could also help explain the mysterious “tiny red dots” discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope in deep space observations of the early universe.
The scientific idea behind the body is particularly interesting. Researchers suggest that what appears to be a massive star may actually be a supermassive black hole surrounded by an extremely dense cloud of gas.
Instead of the object glowing primarily due to nuclear fusion, as stars do, much of its energy will come from material falling toward the black hole and feeding it.
A study involving researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes the object as a possible new astrophysical formation. The researchers analyzed an exceptionally bright and red source from the early universe, observed when the universe was only hundreds of millions of years old. The source, known as MoM-BH-1, dates back to approximately 660 million years after the Big Bang.
The object appears very compact but unusually luminous. Its properties suggest that it does not fit neatly into the traditional categories of a typical active star or black hole. Instead, scientists suggest it could represent a black hole embedded within a massive, dense, turbulent envelope of gas.
This scenario is particularly important because the James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a group of mysterious objects known as “little red dots” in the early universe. Scientists have been debating their true nature ever since the telescope began detecting these unexpected sources.
One main explanation is that at least some of them may be black holes surrounded by dense gas, giving them a star-like appearance.
Therefore, the term “black hole star” does not necessarily mean that scientists have discovered a conventional star containing a black hole. Rather, it refers to a proposed configuration in which a rapidly growing black hole is hidden within a dense gaseous environment, making the entire structure appear stellar-like.
This possibility is important because understanding such objects could help scientists investigate how supermassive black holes were able to grow so quickly during the birth of the universe. Researchers have long struggled to explain how black holes containing millions or even billions of times the mass of the Sun could have appeared so early in cosmic history.
The viral post also sparked several reactions from users, with some questioning the terminology and others pointing out that similar things have been theorized previously.
“‘Black hole star’ is an unfortunate choice of name because it’s not a star at all. The high-energy glow occurs from gas accretion rather than fusion, but I think ‘black hole with glowing red cloud’ is exhausting,” one user said.
Another user wondered why such a powerful object took so long to be discovered, writing: “If it’s emitting that much, why are we only seeing it now?” Another said: “Maybe I’m just a brain but something doesn’t add up.”
Pointing out that the concept itself has theoretical roots dating back years, a third user said: “They’ve been hypothesized to exist since 2012, and they’re called quasars. I’m glad they’re finally getting some attention.”
News 🚨: Astronomers have discovered a completely new type of cosmic object called a “black hole star” that is the size of our solar system, emitting 100 billion times more energy than any star, and may finally explain the mysterious “little red dots” in the JWST. pic.twitter.com/uBILVcoGdF
– The latest in space (@latestinspace) August 13, 2026
Another commentator highlighted the enormous distance involved and suggested that the object’s current state could be very different from what astronomers observe:
A fourth said: “Keep in mind that this object we are observing now dates back to 660 million years after the Big Bang, and the brightness comes from the object consuming perhaps above the Eddington limit. Today, this SMBH would likely be consuming (and emitting) much less.”
Key questions answered
Ask the news18Black hole stars may have been common in the early universe, with a 2026 study finding candidates consistent with models of black hole stars across a wide range of cosmic history. This suggests that this phenomenon may not be limited to one unusual object.
Ask the news18About the author
The team of writers at News18.com bring you stories about what’s buzzing on the internet while exploring science, cricket, technology, sex, Bollywood and culture.
15 August 2026 at 1:30 PM IST
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