Astronomers Observe Unprecedented X-Ray Flashes from Distant Black Hole

A white dwarf star orbiting near the event horizon of a supermassive black hole may explain unusual X-ray variability and rapid acceleration.

Researchers from MIT and international institutions observed accelerating X-ray flashes from the black hole 1ES 1927+654, located 236 million light-years away in the Draco constellation.
The flashes increased in frequency from every 18 minutes in 2022 to every seven minutes by 2024, a phenomenon never seen before in such rapid progression.
Scientists suggest a white dwarf star is orbiting dangerously close to the black hole, shedding mass and stabilizing its inward motion near the event horizon.
The black hole's activity has been monitored since 2018, including the disappearance and reappearance of its X-ray-emitting plasma corona and the launch of ionized gas jets in 2024.
Future gravitational wave detectors like ESA's LISA, expected to launch in the 2030s, may confirm the presence of the white dwarf and provide further insights into this rare system.