Hubble Witnesses Spectacular Flaring in Gas Jet from M87's Black Hole

This annotated movie shows a zoom into the giant elliptical galaxy M87. Inside that galaxy is one of the most massive black holes discovered to date. Hubble astronomers are focusing their attention on a narrow jet of gas and radiation coming from that black hole. That jet seems to have a mysterious glowing knot in it — one that is brightening and fading over a period of several years.

Video Credit: NASA, ESA, Z. Levay, G. Bacon, and M. Estacion (STScI)

Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Madrid (McMaster University)