Magnetic Flips Reveal Turbulent Environment at the First Imaged Black Hole, M87*

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Sep 18 2025

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Magnetic Flips Reveal Turbulent Environment at the First Imaged Black Hole, M87*

New observations of M87*, the first black hole ever imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), have revealed that this supermassive black hole has experienced several surprising magnetic field flips around its event horizon over the past decade. Between 2017 and 2021, the polarization pattern of the plasma swirling near M87* flipped direction multiple times, indicating a highly dynamic and turbulent magnetic environment that challenges existing theoretical models.

Initially, in 2017, the magnetic fields were observed spiraling in one direction, stabilizing temporarily in 2018, and then reversing to spiral the opposite way by 2021. These magnetic flips are significant because they show the magnetized plasma near the event horizon is far from static—it is complex, evolving, and influences how matter accretes onto the black hole and how energy is launched outward in relativistic jets.

Crucially, while the size of the characteristic black hole shadow has remained consistent with Einstein’s predictions of general relativity, the changing polarization pattern pushes astrophysics models to their limits, revealing new mysteries about how black holes interact with their surroundings.

Further, for the first time, researchers detected the extended emission of the powerful jet near its base, providing new insights into how energy is funneled away from the black hole at nearly the speed of light. This jet plays a pivotal role in shaping its host galaxy by regulating star formation and distributing energy on a cosmic scale.

These findings come from an international collaboration combining data from the EHT’s global network of radio telescopes, with significant contributions from institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.

This dynamic magnetic behavior in M87* is expanding our understanding of black hole physics, inviting new theoretical explorations and continuous observation campaigns planned for the coming years to untangle the complex interplay of magnetism, gravity, and plasma at the boundary of a black hole.