A selection of active galaxies with supermassive black holes at their centers, illustrating the variety of shapes that can ...

Despite years of debate and follow-up studies, an odd streak of cosmic light still defies a final explanation. Is it a giant ...

A new image captured by the Very Large Telescope reveals stars and gas orbiting the "invisible giant" at the heart of our ...

After a new upgrade, a neutrino observatory in Antarctica may identify dormant supermassive black holes within our galaxy.

University of Oregon astronomer Yvette Cendes made a surprising discovery years after a black hole shredded a star. What is "Jetty McJetface"?

Scientists have spotted the brightest flare yet from a supermassive black hole that shines with the light of 10 trillion suns. These bursts of light and energy can come from things like tangled-up ...

Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) can have billions of solar masses, and observational evidence suggests that all large galaxies have one at their centers. However, the JWST has revealed a foundational ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Galaxies have been merging into ever-bigger structures over the course of cosmic history. When galaxies merge, the supermassive black ...

Some galaxies could grow so large by consuming one star from a binary system. April 8, 2012— -- For years, astronomers have puzzled over the diet needed to bulk up supermassive black holes – ...