Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope revealed that most galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers, but there's a mysterious middle category that's been nearly impossible to find: intermediate mass black holes. These elusive objects only are incredibly difficult to detect.
Hubble and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory teamed up to study one of these rare items in galaxy NGC 6099. Chandra detected scorching X-rays at three million degrees while Hubble revealed an incredibly dense cluster of stars packed together, creating the perfect feeding ground for a hungry black hole.
This discovery shows how different space telescopes working together across multiple wavelengths can unveil the complete story of these cosmic phenomena, helping us understand the full spectrum of black holes shaping our universe.
For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Paul Morris: Lead Producer
Music Credit:
"Float On" by Layla Pavey [PRS] and Samuel John Chase [PRS] via Zone Music Ltd [PRS] and Universal Production Music
This video can be freely shared and downloaded at svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14871. While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, the music and some individual imagery may have been obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on such imagery may be found here: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14871. For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html.
See more Hubble videos on YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiuUQ9asub3Ta8mqP5LNiOhOygRzue8kN
Follow NASA's Hubble Space Telescope:
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAHubble
· X: twitter.com/NASAHubble
· Instagram: instagram.com/NASAHubble
· Flickr: flickr.com/photos/nasahubble
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If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel:
youtube.com/NASAGoddard
Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
· Instagram instagram.com/nasagoddard
· X twitter.com/NASAGoddard
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAGoddard
· Flickr flickr.com/photos/gsfc
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope revealed that most galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers, but there's a mysterious middle category that's been nearly impossible to find: intermediate mass black holes. These elusive objects only are incredibly difficult to detect.
Hubble and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory teamed up to study one of these rare items in galaxy NGC 6099. Chandra detected scorching X-rays at three million degrees while Hubble revealed an incredibly dense cluster of stars packed together, creating the perfect feeding ground for a hungry black hole.
This discovery shows how different space telescopes working together across multiple wavelengths can unveil the complete story of these cosmic phenomena, helping us understand the full spectrum of black holes shaping our universe.
For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Paul Morris: Lead Producer
Music Credit:
"Float On" by Layla Pavey [PRS] and Samuel John Chase [PRS] via Zone Music Ltd [PRS] and Universal Production Music
This video can be freely shared and downloaded at svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14871. While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, the music and some individual imagery may have been obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on such imagery may be found here: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14871. For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html.
See more Hubble videos on YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiuUQ9asub3Ta8mqP5LNiOhOygRzue8kN
Follow NASA's Hubble Space Telescope:
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAHubble
· X: twitter.com/NASAHubble
· Instagram: instagram.com/NASAHubble
· Flickr: flickr.com/photos/nasahubble
---
If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel:
youtube.com/NASAGoddard
Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
· Instagram instagram.com/nasagoddard
· X twitter.com/NASAGoddard
· Facebook: facebook.com/NASAGoddard
· Flickr flickr.com/photos/gsfc
