Astronomers Witness Star’s Quiet Collapse into Black Hole in Andromeda Galaxy

In a rare cosmic event, astronomers have observed a massive star in the Andromeda Galaxy seemingly disappear, indicating a direct collapse into a black hole without the typical supernova explosion. The findings, published in the journal Science on February 12, 2026 [2], offer a unique glimpse into the formation of black holes and confirm decades-old theoretical predictions.

A Star Vanishes in Andromeda

The star, designated M31-2014-DS1, was initially identified by NASA’s NEOWISE mission in 2014 as it began to brighten in infrared light. Subsequent observations from various ground- and space-based telescopes confirmed the brightening [1]. But, by 2016, the star had dramatically dimmed and effectively “vanished,” becoming detectable only in the mid-infrared range. As Columbia University astronomer Kishalay De noted, the disappearance is akin to imagining Betelgeuse suddenly vanishing from our own night sky [4].

Direct Collapse: A Quiet Black Hole Formation

The most plausible explanation for the star’s disappearance is a direct collapse into a black hole, bypassing the usual supernova phase expected for stars of that size. This process, theorized as early as the 1970s, suggests that under certain conditions, a massive star’s core can collapse directly into a black hole without a powerful explosion [3].

The Role of Convection

The research suggests that convection – the movement of hotter gas to cooler regions within the star – plays a crucial role in this direct collapse. As the star’s core collapses, rapid gas movement in the outer layers prevents them from falling inward. Instead, these outer layers orbit the newly formed black hole and are ejected, cooling and forming dust. This dust then re-emits energy in mid-infrared wavelengths, creating a faint glow that is expected to last for decades [3].

NEOWISE and Archival Data

The discovery was made possible by analyzing over a decade of infrared data captured by NASA’s NEOWISE mission, which operated from 2009 to 2024 (with a hiatus from 2011 to 2013) [3]. The mission, managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at Caltech, processed and archived its data at IPAC, a data and science center for astronomy too at Caltech.

Implications for Black Hole Research

This observation provides rare observational evidence supporting the theory of direct black hole formation. It offers astronomers a valuable opportunity to study the conditions under which these “quiet” collapses occur and to better understand the diverse ways in which black holes are born.