The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a product of over two decades of collaboration between NASA, CSA, and ESA, has made a remarkable discovery. From its home in a stable orbit in Lagrange point 2, the JWST captured a dazzling display of flaring activity from the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way. These findings have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Northwestern University researchers, led by Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, used the telescope's near-infrared camera to gain insight into the discovery. During an observation period of 48 hours, the team studied the gigantic black hole and the flaring activities uncovered by the space telescope. It collected data that indicated different wavelengths between the flaring activities, including a notable time lag between longer and shorter wavelength events within the accretion disk of the supermassive black hole known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).
The collected data was analyzed and Inferences from the analysis revealed vital information about the nature of the black hole and its cosmic environment. Farhad's team also reported observing continuously changing eruptions of brightness that subsided quickly.
The research suggests that two distinct processes drive the black hole's flaring activity: fluctuations within the accretion disk (a spinning ring of hot gas and debris that rotates around a black hole) and magnetic reconnection events, which trigger the light eruptions.
The team has also revealed plans to conduct more detailed research by observing Sgr A* for an extended period. It was highlighted that the time delay between the wavelength of events is a novel finding, underscoring the potential of the James Webb Space Telescope to significantly advance our understanding of black holes and our galaxy.