Scientists are studying eruptions from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy IC 3599. The enormous ejection of matter has now been observed for the third time in the past 35 years. Researchers have determined what causes it.
The Galaxy IC 3599
A study of events occurring in the galaxy IC 3599 was recently published on the arXiv preprint server. According to phys.org, the galaxy is located approximately 280 million light-years away. In 2025, a powerful flare occurred at its center, accompanied by a large ejection of matter into space.
Because a supermassive black hole is undoubtedly located at the center of IC 3599, the phenomenon must be associated with processes occurring around it. What is most remarkable, however, is that astronomers have now recorded a similar flare at the center of the galaxy three times over the past 35 years. The previous events were detected in 1990 and 2010.
It should also be noted that IC 3599 belongs to the class of active galaxies. Large quantities of matter constantly fall toward the black hole at its center, producing powerful radiation that can be detected even from Earth. During the eruptions, however, its intensity increased by a factor of 50.
What Is Happening There
The latest study, which helps explain what is occurring at the center of this galaxy, is based on data from the Swift and XMM-Newton space telescopes, as well as several ground-based observatories operating at different wavelengths. In particular, an observing session with XMM-Newton lasted 120,000 seconds and enabled scientists to determine what is happening to the black hole at the center of IC 3599.
The fact that eruptions near the supermassive black hole at the center of IC 3599 occur at irregular intervals—19.5 and 15.7 years—significantly limits the range of possible explanations. Scientists had suggested that the system might contain a pair of black holes or a large star that is gradually being torn apart.
However, the presence of so-called coronal emission lines and characteristic oscillations with a period of 7.4 hours revealed what is actually happening. Not all of the material orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of IC 3599 falls into it immediately. A substantial portion remains in the form of a relatively thick envelope.
For several years, this envelope continues to grow, supported by radiation pressure from the black hole. Eventually, however, its mass becomes too great for the radiation to sustain it. The material then falls toward the singularity, but it is not completely absorbed. Part of it is expelled back into space in the form of an eruption.
