Astronomers have spotted displays of flashing lights and “fireworks” near a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, a finding researchers said could reveal details about how black holes—among the most mysterious objects in space—behave and interact with their environment.

The James Webb Space Telescope has shown that the Milky Way’s black hole is constantly blazing with light, releasing long flares as well as short flashes every day.

Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Northwestern astrophysicists gained the longest, most detailed glimpse yet of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

The supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy may not be as voracious as the gas-gobbling monsters that astronomers have seen farther out in the Universe, but new findings from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reveal that its surroundings are flaring with fireworks.

Artist's concept of light flares along Sag A*'s accretion disk. (Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI))

Scientists observed constant flares from the Milky Way's black hole, revealing unpredictable and intense activity.