Eric Coughlin, associate professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently quoted in a BBC Sky at Night Magazine article exploring a rare event involving a star repeatedly consumed by a supermassive black hole.

The piece focuses on a tidal disruption event, AT2018fyk, in which a star ventured too close to a black hole roughly 50 million times the mass of the Sun. Initially believed to have been destroyed, the star surprised astronomers by reappearing, indicating it survived the first encounter and returned for another pass.

Using data from multiple space observatories, researchers observed changes in brightness that revealed repeated interactions between the star and the black hole. These findings suggest the star follows an elongated orbit, bringing it close enough to lose material approximately every 3.5 years.

The research provides a rare opportunity to observe a repeating tidal disruption event, helping scientists better understand how black holes interact with stars and influence galaxy evolution.