What Happened
- Researchers observed a massive star in the Andromeda galaxy, designated M31-2014-DS1, collapsing directly into a black hole without producing a supernova explosion -- a phenomenon known as "direct collapse" or "failed supernova."
- The star, originally about 13 solar masses but reduced to approximately 5 solar masses after shedding material, gradually brightened in infrared light over three years before fading dramatically and disappearing, leaving behind a shell of dust.
- The discovery was made using archival data from NASA's now-retired NEOWISE infrared mission, combined with other space and ground-based observatories.
- The findings, published in the journal Science on February 12, 2026, challenge existing theories that stars of this mass always explode as supernovae.
Static Topic Bridges
Stellar Evolution and Black Hole Formation
Stars undergo different end-of-life processes depending on their mass. Stars with masses above approximately 8 solar masses are expected to undergo core-collapse supernovae -- violent explosions that scatter heavy elements into space and leave behind neutron stars or black holes. The theoretical possibility of "direct collapse" -- where a star's core collapses into a black hole without the rebound that produces a supernova -- was first proposed in the 1970s but had never been clearly observed until now.
- The Chandrasekhar Limit (approximately 1.4 solar masses) defines the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf
- Above approximately 3 solar masses (the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit), even neutron degeneracy pressure cannot prevent collapse into a black hole
- Core-collapse supernovae depend on the interplay of gravity, gas pressure, and powerful shock waves inside the dying star
- Some theoretical models predicted that 10-30% of massive stars might fail to explode, directly forming black holes
Connection to this news: The observation of M31-2014-DS1 provides the first definitive evidence that stars of a given mass may or may not successfully explode, suggesting that the boundary between supernova and direct collapse is not determined by mass alone but by chaotic internal dynamics.
NASA's NEOWISE Mission
The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) was launched in December 2009 and surveyed the entire sky in infrared wavelengths. It was reactivated in August 2014 as NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) to hunt asteroids and near-Earth objects. The mission was decommissioned on August 8, 2024, and the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on November 1, 2024.
- WISE/NEOWISE operated in four infrared bands (3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 micrometres)
- The mission discovered thousands of asteroids, including potentially hazardous near-Earth objects
- Infrared observation is critical for detecting phenomena obscured by dust, such as stellar collapses
- NASA's NEO Surveyor mission, launched in 2028, is the designated successor for planetary defence surveys
- Archival data from retired missions continues to yield major discoveries years after operations cease
Connection to this news: The discovery demonstrates the lasting scientific value of space mission archives. Researchers identified the failed supernova by searching NEOWISE archival data for the faint infrared glow predicted by 1970s theoretical models of direct collapse.
Andromeda Galaxy (M31) as an Astronomical Laboratory
The Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31), located approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth, is the nearest major spiral galaxy to the Milky Way and the largest galaxy in the Local Group. Its relative proximity makes it an invaluable laboratory for studying stellar populations, galactic dynamics, and phenomena that are difficult to observe within our own galaxy due to dust obscuration and our internal vantage point.
- Andromeda contains approximately one trillion stars, roughly twice as many as the Milky Way
- It is approaching the Milky Way at about 110 km/s and is expected to merge with our galaxy in approximately 4.5 billion years
- The galaxy's stellar population spans a wide range of ages and metallicities, making it ideal for studying stellar evolution
- Previous transient events in Andromeda, including novae and supernovae, have been extensively studied
Connection to this news: M31-2014-DS1 was detectable precisely because of Andromeda's proximity, which allowed researchers to resolve individual stellar events that would be invisible in more distant galaxies, making this the clearest evidence yet of direct collapse.
Key Facts & Data
- Star M31-2014-DS1 was located in the Andromeda galaxy, 2.5 million light-years away
- Original mass: approximately 13 solar masses; reduced to approximately 5 solar masses before collapse
- The star brightened in infrared over 3 years before fading and disappearing
- Detection made using archival data from NASA's NEOWISE infrared mission
- Published in the journal Science on February 12, 2026
- Challenges the assumption that all massive stars above 8 solar masses explode as supernovae
- Lead researcher: Kishalay De