Astronomers have found new evidence that black holes may not simply consume everything around them. Instead, they can also eject large amounts of matter back into space through powerful jets and winds.
The discovery comes from observations of the black hole system Swift J1727.8โ1613, which produced a dramatic eruption in 2023. The study was led by researchers at the University of Warwick and published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Black holes are often described as cosmic objects that swallow anything that gets too close. However, this new research suggests that their feeding behavior is more complex. As matter falls toward a black hole, part of it may be processed through the surrounding disc and then expelled back into space.
Swift J1727.8โ1613 is a black hole X-ray binary system. This means the black hole is pulling gas from a nearby companion star. As the gas moves inward, it forms a fast-spinning disc of extremely hot material around the black hole.
Using the European Southern Observatoryโs Very Large Telescope, astronomers followed the system throughout its outburst. This gave them one of the most detailed optical records ever obtained of a black hole eruption.
During the outburst, the black hole did not only pull matter inward. It also launched jets and produced strong winds that carried material away from the system.
One of the most important findings came after the outburst had nearly faded. Even when the black hole had dimmed to about one hundredth of its peak activity, researchers still detected dense gas being expelled from the system.
This shows that black holes may continue producing powerful outflows long after their brightest and most dramatic phase has ended.
The observations suggest that black holes may be less efficient at eating matter than previously thought. A significant portion of the gas drawn from a companion star may never actually reach the black hole. Instead, it may be redirected into space through jets and winds.
This changes how scientists understand black holes and their role in shaping their surroundings. Rather than acting only as cosmic drains, black holes may also recycle material back into space and influence the evolution of nearby stars and galaxies.
The discovery also highlights the importance of observing black hole eruptions across their full life cycle. While the beginning of an outburst often attracts attention because of its brightness, the later stages may reveal equally important information about how matter is expelled.
By tracking Swift J1727.8โ1613 from its intense eruption to its fading phase, astronomers were able to observe the full process of feeding, transformation, and expulsion.
The study provides one of the clearest views yet of how black holes consume matter, release energy, and continue reshaping their environment even after their brightest fireworks have ended.
Journal Reference:
Castro Segura, N., Solomons, K., Corral-Santana, J. M., Knigge, C., Charles, P. A., Brigitte, M., Fijma, S., Dรญaz Trigo, M., Gรบrpide, A., Buckley, D. A. H., Carotenuto, F., Castro-Tirado, A. J., Coppejans, D. L., Georganti, M., Hughes, A., Long, K. S., Matthews, J., Monageng, I., Pelisoli, I., Russell, T. D., et al. (2026). Optical outburst evolution of the transient black hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8โ1613: disc response to jet ejections and late-outburst emergence of powerful disc winds. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 550(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1175