MoM-BH*-1
Astronomical object in the constellation of Cetus
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MoM-BH*-1 is an astronomical object classified as a little red dot, a class of astronomical objects of reddish colouration, located in the constellation of Cetus. In 2026, it was proposed that MoM-BH*-1 is a black hole star (also known as a quasi-star), composed of a central black hole surrounded by a large and dense gas cloud, the first object to be identified as such.[1][2][3]
Image of MoM-BH*-1 taken by the JWST. | |
| Object type | Little red dot |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| 02h 17m 35.40s | |
| Declination | −05° 08′ 06.42″ |
| Redshift | 7.7569+0.0013 −0.0012 |
| Distance | 13.14 billion light years (light travel distance) |
Discovery
The object was found during the "Mirage or Miracle" (MoM) survey conducted with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). MoM-BH*-1 was imaged by JWST in three surveys, the first in the PRIMER survey, using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on 5 and 16 January 2023 and NIRCam on 7 and 9 August 2023, the second by the EXCELS survey on 19 December 2023, and by the MoM survey on 15 December 2024.[1] It was named after the survey, MoM, and an abbreviation of "black hole star – one".[4]
Black hole star candidate
In 2026, a research team led by Rohan P. Naidu, a University of Hawaiʻi[a] astronomer, identified MoM-BH*-1 as an "enshrouded black hole" of around 106.3 M☉.[1] The similarity of the object with other little red dots suggests that they may be black hole stars as well.[3][5]
Location
The object, at billions of light years from Earth, is thought to have formed 660 million years after the Big Bang.[3] Its host galaxy is a low-mass dwarf galaxy, "perhaps" metal-poor, with a mass of less than 108.5 M☉. According to Naidu et al. (2026), "[r]adiation from the black hole seems to dominate almost all observed light, leaving limited room for contribution from its host galaxy."[1] Naidu described the discovery as "one in a billion!"[6]
Notes
- The research on MoM-BH*-1 was conducted while Naidu was at the MIT Kavli Institute, but he is now at the University of Hawaiʻi.[3]