Runaway black hole leaves a trail of stars

Nature News · Feb 20, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT 20 February 2026 The supermassive object broke away from a nearby galaxy and is now racing through the intergalactic medium. A black hole (bottom left; artist’s illustration) that has escaped from its host galaxy leaves a trail of young stars in its wake. Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI) A ‘runaway’ black hole ejected from its host galaxy is barrelling across space — and leaving behind a wake of newborn stars. Access options Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from$1.95 to$39.95 Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Additional access options: Log in Learn about institutional subscriptions Read our FAQs Contact customer support doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00510-2 Subjects Latest on: Astronomy and astrophysics Ten years since the first reported observation of gravitational waves News & Views 11 FEB 26 NASA’s latest telescope is a feat of early-career leadership Career News 05 FEB 26 Largest galaxy survey yet confirms that the Universe is not clumpy enough Research Highlight 30 JAN 26