Archive · 31 Dec 2025
Rare Triple Black Hole Collision Detected 1.2 Billion Light-Years Away
Scientists have discovered a very rare event happening far away in space.
Three galaxies are about to collide, and each one has a supermassive black hole at its center.
These black holes are eating up material very quickly and sending out bright radio waves.
This is the first time scientists have seen three black holes like this colliding at the same time.
It's a special chance to learn how big galaxies and their black holes grow together.
Usually, galaxy mergers happen with just two galaxies, but this time, it's three.
The event is happening 1.2 billion light-years from Earth, which is an incredibly long distance.
Scientists are excited because this helps them understand more about how the universe works.
A rare triple galaxy merger named J1218/1219+1035 is occurring 1.2 billion light-years away from Earth.
Each of the three galaxies has a supermassive black hole at its center, all actively emitting radio light.
This is the first known event where all three galaxies in a merger have active galactic nuclei (AGN) shining in radio light.
The merger provides a unique opportunity to study the growth and behavior of supermassive black holes and galaxies.
Galaxy mergers are common, but triple mergers with all three AGNs active are extremely rare.
- Who
- Astrophysicist Emma Schwartzman and her team
- What
- A rare triple galaxy merger with active galactic nuclei (AGN) emitting radio light
- When
- The event is ongoing and was detected recently
- Where
- 1.2 billion light-years away from Earth
- Why
- To study the growth and behavior of supermassive black holes and galaxies
- Distance from Earth
- 1.2 billion light-years
- Name of the System
- J1218/1219+1035
- Type of Event
- Triple galaxy merger with active galactic nuclei (AGN)
- Significance
- First known triple AGN merger with all three galaxies emitting radio light
- Researcher
- Astrophysicist Emma Schwartzman, US Naval Research Laboratory
- Publication
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters