A team from University College London and Carnegie scientists has used the James Webb Space Telescope to measure the mass of a dormant black hole in the early Universe. The object itself is invisible, prompting researchers to analyze the orbital motion of stars in its vicinity as a proxy.
The technique relies on high-resolution JWST observations of stellar trajectories near the black hole's gravitational well. By tracking these orbits, the team could infer the central mass without relying on active accretion signatures typically used for feeding black holes. This approach opens a new window for studying quiescent supermassive black holes that otherwise evade detection.
The work follows years of theoretical modeling, but JWST's infrared sensitivity finally made such measurements feasible for distant cosmic epochs. No specific mass figure has been released, though the method promises to calibrate black hole growth models across cosmic time.
Determining the mass of dormant black holes is critical for understanding how they evolved alongside their host galaxies. Unlike actively accreting quasars, these quiet giants may represent the majority of supermassive black holes in the early Universe, and their properties constrain feedback mechanisms in galaxy formation.
While the findings rely on indirect orbital analysis, the team expressed confidence in JWST's precision. Further observations are planned to expand the sample and refine mass estimates.