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JWST Studies Reveal Mixed ‘Little Red Dot’ Population as Extreme Object Spurs ‘Black Hole Star’ Test

Researchers now describe a diverse population, with targeted JWST follow-ups planned to test possible buried black holes.

Overview

  • An analysis of 99 Little Red Dots finds about 30% show clumpy ultraviolet structure, contrasting with their point-like infrared appearance.
  • Spectra for a subset reveal gas moving at thousands of kilometers per second, providing direct fingerprints of active galactic nuclei.
  • The population appears heterogeneous, with some sources powered by growing black holes and others dominated by star formation, possibly triggered by interactions or mergers.
  • Separately, a single extreme source nicknamed the Cliff shows a sharp Balmer break–like jump in brightness that motivated a proposed “black hole star” model.
  • Both results remain provisional, and teams plan deeper JWST spectroscopy and complementary observations to confirm classifications and probe early black hole growth.