The so-called 'sleeping giant,' named Gaia BH3, has a mass nearly 33 times that of our sun and is the second-closest known black hole to Earth, located 1,926 light-years away in the Aquila constellation.
Dormant black holes without companions are difficult to spot, while those feeding off companion stars emit bright X-rays that telescopes can detect, aiding in their identification.
Observations of a wobbling giant star in the Aquila constellation led to the discovery of Gaia BH3, the third dormant black hole found by Gaia, later confirmed by the Very Large Telescope in Chile.
Lead author Panuzzo noted the surprise at finding such a massive black hole nearby, previously undetected, shedding light on the formation of these astronomical bodies.
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