Story perspectives

Million-Solar-Mass Black Hole Tears Star, ZTF Detects Flare

8/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

Astronomers led by Robert David Stein reported a ~1-million-solar-mass black hole ripping a star 30,000 ly from its core.
The Zwicky Transient Facility flagged the flare on 4 Nov 2025, which hit 18,000 °F (9,900 °C) and warmed ~160 °F (89 °C), unlike a supernova.
Hydrogen-helium spectra confirmed a tidal disruption event, set the black hole’s mass near one million Suns, and indicate that the Rubin Observatory survey June 2026 should find dozens of flares annually.

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Story summary

Astronomers led by Robert David Stein reported a ~1-million-solar-mass black hole ripping a star 30,000 ly from its core.
The Zwicky Transient Facility flagged the flare on 4 Nov 2025, which hit 18,000 °F (9,900 °C) and warmed ~160 °F (89 °C), unlike a supernova.
Hydrogen-helium spectra confirmed a tidal disruption event, set the black hole’s mass near one million Suns, and indicate that the Rubin Observatory survey June 2026 should find dozens of flares annually.