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For the first time, researchers have observed a peculiar neon illumination near the center of the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, also called Messier 83 (M83). This finding, derived from data collected by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, implies that an active, supermassive black hole could be concealed at the galaxy’s center.

The newly detected gas demands an extraordinary amount of energy to produce its glow — significantly more than what typical stars can generate. The research, featured in The Astrophysical Journal, questions earlier views that, if M83 harbored a central black hole, it would be inactive and not generating high-energy radiation.

“Before Webb, we simply did not have the tools to detect such faint and highly ionized gas signatures in M83’s nucleus,” stated Svea Hernandez, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. “We can finally delve into these concealed aspects of the galaxy and reveal what was once unseen.”

Cosmic dust and gas frequently obscure the view of remote, faint celestial bodies, but infrared light — which Webb excels at detecting — can penetrate these barriers, uncovering what was previously obscured.

Black holes have long been some of the most enigmatic entities in the universe. Just half a century ago, they existed mainly as theoretical constructs, with even top astronomers uncertain about their existence. Today, black holes are widely recognized as real phenomena and have even been captured in images by arrays of coordinated radio telescopes on Earth.

In contrast to stars or planets, black holes do not have a solid surface. They feature an “event horizon” — a threshold beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape their overwhelming gravitational attraction. Stellar black holes commonly result from the collapse of massive stars following supernova events, compressing their matter into extremely dense areas.

The origin of supermassive black holes — millions to billions of times more massive than our sun — remains a more profound enigma. Many scientists theorize that these colossal bodies are situated at the cores of most galaxies. Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope have bolstered the idea that supermassive black holes might emerge in the dusty cores of starburst galaxies, where rapid star formation occurs.

Situated around 15 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra, the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy is one notable starburst galaxy. For many years, astronomers have fruitlessly sought evidence of a black hole at its heart.

The James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership among NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, was primarily crafted to explore the early universe, star formation, and distant galaxies. Its remarkable sensitivity to infrared light has enabled it to uncover clues that earlier telescopes overlooked, as explained by Linda Smith, a co-author of the study.

Infrared observations can penetrate cosmic dust, offering a clearer perspective of areas where stars are birthed or where black holes might be active.

While the recently detected signals strongly indicate the existence of a black hole, researchers are also exploring other explanations, such as intense shock waves traveling through space or particularly massive stars. The team intends to perform follow-up observations with other telescopes to further examine.

“Now we have new evidence that disputes past beliefs,” Smith remarked.

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