In late 2019, the previously unremarkable galaxy SDSS1335+0728 unexpectedly brightened, prompting astronomers to investigate the cause using data from various observatories, including the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT).
The study, recently published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, suggests an unprecedented event: the sudden awakening of the massive black hole at the galaxy’s core.
“Imagine you’ve been observing a distant galaxy for years, and it always seemed calm and inactive,” said Paula Sánchez Sáez, an astronomer at ESO.
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