Astronomers have reported the first detection of three supermassive black holes residing in the same galaxy in the early universe.
The galaxy hosts a trio of black holes, each with masses millions to billions of times that of the Sun.
Two of the three black holes are in the process of merging, a rare configuration that offers a direct look at how such massive objects grow.
The discovery was made using observations that can resolve the close separation of the black holes at cosmic distances.
Finding three supermassive black holes together challenges simpler models in which galaxies typically host a single central black hole.
The merging pair provides a potential pathway for the rapid assembly of the most massive black holes seen in the early universe.
Researchers say the system also serves as a laboratory for studying gravitational-wave sources that future detectors may observe.
Further observations are planned to measure the black holes' masses, spins, and the dynamics of their host galaxy more precisely.
A first! 3 supermassive black holes discovered in 1 galaxy
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