Astronomers observe star in Andromeda vanish, likely forming a black hole without a supernova
Summary
Astronomers have observed the mysterious disappearance of a massive star called M31-2014-DS1 in the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.5 million light-years away. Unlike typical supernovae, this star didn't explode violently — it simply faded from view after a brief brightening. Researchers led by Kishalay De at the Flatiron Institute analyzed data from 2005 to 2023, including NASA's NEOWISE mission. The leading theory is that the star collapsed directly into a black hole without a visible supernova, a phenomenon known as a "failed supernova" or direct-collapse black hole. The star showed a sudden brightening in infrared (suggesting warm dust and gas), followed by its complete disappearance in visible light, while remaining bright in infrared — consistent with a massive star that collapsed into a black hole, with its outer material forming a dusty shell.
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Key quotes
· 3 pulledIf you are wondering why infrared matters, think of it like heat-vision. Visible light tells you what is shining. Infrared can reveal warm dust and gas that is glowing even when the star itself is gone.
The star that got brighter first… then went missing
A brilliant star in our nearest galactic neighbor didn't go out with a bang, it simply faded from sight, leaving scientists to piece together what could make something so massive vanish so quietly.
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