Could a black hole pass through our solar system at high speed? This possibility, once confined to science fiction, is becoming increasingly tangible thanks to recent observations.
This theory is based on advances in theoretical physics dating back to the 1960s. The mathematician Roy Kerr solved equations from Einstein's general relativity, describing rotating black holes. His work showed that a significant part of their mass, up to 29%, can be stored as spin energy. This energy, comparable to a giant battery, can be released during cosmic events.
When two black holes collide and merge, this rotational energy is emitted as gravitational waves. To illustrate this phenomenon, if the spin axes of the black holes are aligned in a particular way, the waves can be expelled asymmetrically. This reaction then acts like a thrust, propelling the resulting black hole at high speeds, which can reach thousands of miles per second (thousands of kilometers per second). Thus, objects once considered static can become cosmic travelers.
Confirmation of this theory came from the LIGO and Virgo observatories, operational since 2015, through the detection of gravitational waves. They have captured signals called 'ringdowns', similar to vibrations, indicating the rapid rotation of newly formed black holes. This data, analyzed by international teams, revealed that some mergers produce energetic ejections, making the speeds already observed for runaway black holes plausible.
In 2025, images from the James Webb Space Telescope and other instruments provided direct visual evidence. They show very straight star trails inside galaxies, as described in studies on
arXiv. These structures, tens of thousands of light-years long, are interpreted as "condensation trails" formed by the passage of supermassive black holes. The interstellar gas, compressed here by gravity, collapses to give birth to stars along the path of these objects.
Although the probability of such a black hole entering our Solar System is extremely low, this discovery broadens our vision of the Universe. It highlights how violent events, such as black hole collisions, can give rise to dynamic and unexpected phenomena. Astronomers continue to study these objects to better understand their impact on galactic evolution.