A Discovery Rewriting the Astronomy Manuals
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has enabled a discovery that could change our understanding of the universe. An international team of astronomers, led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has identified a completely new cosmic object: a 'black hole star', baptized as MoM-BH*-1.
The finding, published in the prestigious journal Nature on August 13, 2026, combines the appearance of a giant star with the energy power of a black hole, challenging known categories up to now. It was discovered through the 'Mirage or Miracle' (MoM) survey in the constellation of Cetus.
Key Facts of the Discovery
| Object Name | MoM-BH*-1 |
| Estimated Age | 660 million years after the Big Bang |
| Size | Comparable to the Solar System |
| Emitted Energy | 100 billion times more than any star |
| Central Black Hole Mass | 100,000 times the mass of the Sun |
| Telescope Used | James Webb (JWST) from NASA |
| Publication | Nature, August 13, 2026 |
What is a 'Black Hole Star'?
This new type of object was detected when scientists were analyzing images of the early universe in search of extremely distant galaxies. While reviewing one of the deepest photographs, they found an unusually bright red spot that did not match any known pattern.
Initially, the team, led by Rohan Naidu (MIT/University of Hawaii), suspected the red color was due to cosmic dust. However, the spectral data showed an unusually deep 'Balmer break' (an abrupt drop in light at certain wavelengths) and an almost total absence of heavy metals, which ruled out that theory.
'The break we observed in this object is the deepest we have ever observed in any object, which rules out ordinary stars as the source,' stated Rohan Naidu, the lead author of the study.
The explanation that finally convinced the group came from simulations: a central black hole with a mass 100,000 times greater than the Sun, wrapped in a dense layer of hydrogen the size of the solar system. This scenario would explain both the extreme luminosity and the spectral singularity.
Solving the Mystery of the 'Little Red Dots'
Since the JWST began operating in 2022, astronomers have noticed the recurrent presence of extremely bright small red spots in the early universe, whose origin was uncertain. These 'little red dots' have been one of the most debated topics of the telescope era.
The current hypothesis holds that many of them could be black hole stars, although less luminous than MoM-BH*-1. What distinguishes this object is that its luminosity completely eclipses its host galaxy, allowing observers to see 'pure black hole star light'.
The Origin of Supermassive Black Holes
The discovery could also shed light on the origin of the supermassive black holes found at the center of virtually all galaxies, including the Milky Way, where Sagittarius A* is located.
The problem is that some of these black holes already existed when the universe was barely a fraction of its current age. How could they grow so much in such a short time? Black hole stars could represent a transition stage, an initial phase protected by enormous amounts of gas on the way to their formation.
'For decades we have anticipated that something spectacular must be happening in the primordial universe. Black hole stars could be that spectacular something,' said Naidu.
A New Chapter in Cosmic Exploration
The discovery of MoM-BH*-1 was possible thanks to the James Webb's ability to capture images of the universe formed just 660 million years after the Big Bang. The detailed analysis of the optical signal and the absence of metals suggest the object formed when the universe was still very young.
The team, which included Wendy Sun and Robert Simcoe from MIT, plans to analyze other red spots detected in James Webb images to determine if they also correspond to black hole stars. The research remains open, and future results could reveal whether this type of object was common in the early universe or constitutes an exceptional rarity.
Sources: Nature, MIT, DW, Infobae, Los Andes