Runaway Supermassive Black Hole Illustration

 Runaway Supermassive Black Hole Illustration

This is an artist's impression of a runaway supermassive black hole that was ejected from its host galaxy as a result of a tussle between it and two other black holes. As the black hole plows through intergalactic space it compresses tenuous gas in front to it. This precipitates the birth of hot blue stars. This illustration is based on Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 200,000-light-year-long "contrail" of stars behind an escaping black hole.

Credits

Artwork

NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)