Astronomers Capture Two Black Holes Orbiting Each Other

In October 2025, astronomers achieved a historic breakthrough by capturing, for the first time, two black holes locked in orbit around each other in the quasar OJ287, confirming decades of theoretical predictions and providing unprecedented insight into binary black hole dynamics.

Key Points

RadioAstron Space Telescope Contribution: Observations were made possible through the RadioAstron space telescope, which worked in tandem with ground-based observatories to achieve a resolution higher than any single Earth-based telescope.
Distinct Radio Emissions Observed: The image revealed two separate points of radio emission, matching the predicted positions of the black holes, while the smaller black hole was seen launching a twisting, high-energy particle jet around its massive companion.
Historic Rhythmic Flickering: OJ287’s periodic flickering, recorded in archival photographs since the 19th century and first analyzed in 1982, hinted at the presence of two orbiting black holes, leading to orbital models published in 2018 and 2021.
Implications for Gravitational Wave Research: The discovery provides a natural laboratory for studying gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime produced when massive objects like black holes collide, with OJ287 serving as a critical testbed.