ESO Supernova: Supermassive Black Holes

At the center of almost every known galaxy — including our own Milky Way — lies a supermassive black hole, millions to billions of times heavier than the Sun. Understanding how these gigantic black holes influence their surroundings is crucial for our understanding of galaxy evolution.

In this presentation, ESO Fellow Dr. Vicky Fawcett presents a fascinating hypothesis: certain dust-encircled supermassive black holes represent a key phase in the evolution of a galaxy. By studying these objects, we can gain new insights into how galaxies like our own formed.