US EditionThis star survived a black hole—and came back for more
DISTANT GALAXY, JUL 21 – Researchers led by Tel Aviv University observed two nearly identical flares from a star partially disrupted by a supermassive black hole, marking the first confirmed repeating tidal disruption event.
- A group of researchers headed by astronomers from Tel Aviv University documented a star that escaped destruction during a close approach to a supermassive black hole and later returned to produce two nearly identical flares, known as AT 2022dbl, separated by about two years.
- This discovery challenges previous views by showing the first flare was a partial stellar disruption, not a total one, suggesting the star returned for a second close approach rather than two stars being consumed.
- Prof. Iair Arcavi stated that observing a third flare in early 2026 would confirm the second event was also a partial disruption, which means these flares are not what astrophysicists believed over the past decade.
- Their research, published on July 1, 2025, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, concludes that these partial disruptions require a re-evaluation of what tidal disruption flares reveal about supermassive black holes in galaxy centers.
- This finding implies astrophysicists must revise models of black hole feeding events and the nature of these flares, while a third flare observation could offer a unique opportunity to study ongoing partial disruption.
11 Articles
11 Articles
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Israeli-led team first to observe star survive black hole and return
A Tel Aviv University–led team observed a star survive a supermassive black hole encounter and return two years later — a first in astronomy; the rare event challenges theories on stellar disruption and hints at long-term black hole interactions
This star survived a black hole—and came back for more
Lightning might not strike twice, but black holes apparently do. An international group of researchers led by Tel Aviv University astronomers observed a flare caused when a star falls onto a black hole and is destroyed.
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