Imagine a jet of energy so powerful that it makes even Star Wars’ Death Star look tiny. That’s reportedly what astronomers are seeing from a supermassive black hole 665 million light-years away. The jet, nicknamed Jetty McJetface, is moving at almost the speed of light and is made from the remains of a star torn apart by the black hole. Experts say it’s one of the most luminous and energetic events ever observed.The scale is almost impossible to picture. A trillion to 100 trillion times more energy than a Death Star.
How a black hole is growing brighter and sending out incredible energy
This all started when a star wandered too close to the black hole. The gravitational forces stretched it apart, ripping it into pieces. Some material fell into the black hole. Most was thrown outward by magnetic fields.For years, AT2018hyz, the official designation, seemed quiet. Astronomers weren’t sure why. Slowly, the shredded star material forms an accretion disk, feeding the black hole and eventually producing a jet. In 2022, AT2018hyz suddenly brightened in radio waves. This flare was likely caused by synchrotron radiation from the relativistic jet. It’s currently 50 times brighter than at discovery. The jet is highly focused, and only recently has it entered our line of sight. That explains why it appears to gain energy even years after the star was consumed. Magnetic fields might be a factor in producing these jets, though scientists say the exact mechanism is still unclear. To give perspective, typical TDEs release energy slowly and mostly in spherical outflows. This one is different. The jet could reach 5 x 10^55 ergs. That’s immense. Models suggest it might peak in 2027, potentially twice as bright as it is now. Astronomers are cautious about giving a final estimate. So many factors could influence the outcome.The energy output is unprecedented. Jets like this are rare, reportedly only about 1% of known TDEs. The other 99% are far less dramatic.
What this powerful jet means for future space research
Jets like Jetty McJetface could help scientists understand black hole physics, extreme magnetic fields, and the lifecycle of stars. With next-generation instruments like the Square Kilometer Array, astronomers might detect many more of these events. That would shed light on how often supermassive black holes fling matter across space.For now, we can only watch and marvel. A black hole ripping a star apart, then launching a jet more energetic than a fictional superweapon, seems almost surreal. And it’s happening in our universe, not a movie.
