In a discovery that has left astronomers baffled, a massive black hole located 300 million light-years from Earth has suddenly “awakened,” emitting powerful bursts of energy and light from the center of a distant galaxy named SDSS1335+0728.

According to researchers, the black hole—nicknamed “Outski”—exhibited unusual and extraordinary behavior, first detected in 2019 when it suddenly began to radiate bright light. Since then, scientists have been closely monitoring its activity, noting an intense increase in both brightness and X-ray emissions, which are reportedly 10 times stronger than before.

Black holes are commonly perceived as cosmic vacuum cleaners that suck in everything around them. While that’s partially true, they are far more complex. Sometimes, black holes can remain dormant for long periods, and at other times, they become incredibly active. For instance, the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy remains mostly quiet.

However, in 2019, “Outski” became the first supermassive black hole whose awakening was observed in real time—a historic moment in astronomy.

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Researchers say this is the first time they have witnessed the process of a black hole waking up, making it a groundbreaking observation in the field. The study has been published in the prestigious journal Nature Astronomy, shedding light on the dynamic and mysterious nature of black holes.