Black Hole Jet Rivals Death Star’s Power • CEFR B1 News for English Learners
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Supermassive Black Hole Produces Death Star-Level Jet
February 5, 2026 — Astronomers have observed one of the most luminous and energetic events ever recorded in the universe. A jet of charged particles, created when a supermassive black hole tore apart a star, has proven to be so powerful that scientists are comparing it to the fictional Death Star from Star Wars.
The Story Behind the Discovery
The event, officially named AT2018hyz, was first detected in 2018. When a star wandered too close to a supermassive black hole, tidal forces began to stretch and tear it apart—a phenomenon known as a “tidal disruption event” (TDE). At the time, it appeared to be a fairly ordinary occurrence.
“There was nothing from that initial discovery that made us think something like this was going to happen years later,” explained Dr. Yvette Cendes, a radio astronomer at the University of Oregon who led the research.
The Jet Awakens
For several years after the star’s destruction, nothing remarkable happened. However, in 2022, the black hole suddenly began emitting an incredibly powerful jet of particles moving at nearly the speed of light. The jet, which Cendes has nicknamed “Jetty McJetface,” is now 50 times more luminous than when it was first detected.
“Planets are going to be destroyed for the first few light-years,” Cendes told Space.com. “I’m just not sure how far out from the jet this would be the case.”
Understanding the Power
The black hole is located in a quiet galaxy approximately 665 million light-years from Earth. What makes this event remarkable is that such relativistic jets occur in only about 1% of tidal disruption events—making this observation extremely rare.
Scientists predict the jet will reach its peak brightness in 2027, potentially becoming twice as powerful as it is currently.
Future Research
With the upcoming Square Kilometer Array telescope, astronomers hope to discover more of these exceptional cosmic events and better understand how such powerful jets form.
Vocabulary Help 📚
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| luminous | giving off light; very bright |
| tidal disruption event | when a black hole’s gravity tears apart a nearby star |
| relativistic | moving at a speed close to the speed of light |
| phenomenon | an observable event or occurrence |
| emit | to release or send out (energy, light, etc.) |
Grammar Focus 🎯
Present Perfect for Recent Events: - “Astronomers have observed one of the most luminous events.” - “The jet has proven to be extremely powerful.”
We use present perfect when a past event is relevant to the present situation.
Passive Voice: - “The event was first detected in 2018.” - “The star was torn apart by tidal forces.”
We use passive voice when the action is more important than who does it.
Source: Space.com