NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope began observing the early universe in 2022, leading to the discovery of unusual objects referred to as "little red dots." Astronomers have been investigating these mysterious red specks, and a recent study suggests they may represent a previously unknown type of celestial entity: black hole stars.

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The hypothesis stems from the analysis of an exceptionally bright little red dot named MoM-BH*-1. The study, published on August 12 in the journal *Nature*, indicates that this object is likely a massive black hole surrounded by a cloud of hot gas, which emits light similar to a star.

Rohan Naidu, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii and co-author of the study, noted the significance of identifying such a unique object among the extensive data available on billions of stars, galaxies, and black holes. He described MoM-BH*-1 as "one in a billion."

MoM-BH*-1 is observed from a time 660 million years after the Big Bang, which occurred approximately 13.8 billion years ago. The light from this object took billions of years to reach the James Webb Space Telescope, and due to the universe's expansion, the light waves were stretched and redshifted.

This object was identified during a survey named "Mirage or Miracle" (MoM), aimed at locating early-forming galaxies. MoM-BH*-1 stood out as the reddest and brightest dot observed, prompting further investigation.

Astronomically, a red hue typically suggests dust surrounding an object due to light scattering. However, the light data for MoM-BH*-1 indicated minimal dust presence. The object exhibited a Balmer break, a feature suggestive of dense gas absorbing light, usually found in dust-free environments.

The strength of MoM-BH*-1’s Balmer break was unprecedented for stars, and its brightness exceeded what could primarily result from nuclear fusion, the process that fuels stars.

Naidu stated that the object emits energy typical of black holes yet displays characteristics reminiscent of stars. To verify their findings, the research team conducted computer simulations, concluding that MoM-BH*-1 is likely a black hole with a mass 100,000 times that of the sun, enveloped in a star-like cocoon of hydrogen gas comparable to the size of our solar system.

In a commentary accompanying the study, astronomers Dominik Schleicher and Rodrigo Herrera-Camus emphasized that the red color observed is primarily due to the gas effects, with minimal dust contributions. They highlighted that this discovery offers significant insights regarding the nature of the little red dots.

As of 2025, the James Webb Space Telescope has identified 341 such little red dots, all potentially black hole stars nestled within early galaxies. However, MoM-BH*-1 is particularly remarkable as it outshines its host galaxy, revealing pure black hole star light.