Astronomers watch a massive star collapse into a black hole without a supernova
Science Daily
February 14, 2026
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Astronomers have observed a massive star in the Andromeda Galaxy vanish without exploding as a supernova, instead collapsing directly into a black hole. This rare event provides unprecedented insights into how the most massive stars meet their end. By analyzing data from multiple telescopes over nearly a decade, researchers tracked the star's gradual brightening and eventual disappearance, which aligns with theoretical predictions for black hole formation. The study, published in *Science*, reveals that the star's core collapsed under gravity, forming a black hole while its outer layers were ejected in a slow, infrared glow.
The star, known as M31-2014-DS1, was once one of the brightest in Andromeda but has now faded to nearly invisibility in visible and near-infrared light. This dramatic transformation occurred over 15 years, with the star's brightness dropping by a factor of 10,000. The key to this现象 lies in convection processes within the star's outer layers, which played a critical role in determining whether the star would explode as a supernova or collapse into a black hole. This discovery challenges previous assumptions that massive stars always undergo dramatic supernovae before collapsing.
The findings are significant because they provide a detailed benchmark for understanding how stellar black holes form and evolve. By combining fresh observations with archived data, scientists have uncovered a new way to study these cosmic events. The glowing debris around the newborn black hole is expected to remain visible for decades, offering future telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope a unique opportunity to monitor its slow fade. This research not only reshapes our understanding of stellar evolution but also highlights the importance of long-term observational studies in unraveling宇宙's mysteries.
The study also raises questions about why some massive stars explode while others collapse quietly into black holes. The interplay between gravity, nuclear fusion, and convection appears to play a crucial role in determining the outcome. As Kishalay De, lead author of the study, notes, "This is just the beginning of the story." By continuing to monitor similar events, astronomers hope to unlock more secrets about black hole formation and the ultimate fate of massive stars.
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Originally published on Science Daily on 2/14/2026