Astronomers Observe Massive Star in Andromeda Galaxy Vanish and Form Black Hole Without Supernova

Scientists observe M31 2014 DS1 in the Andromeda Galaxy quietly collapse into a black hole without a supernova explosion, providing rare evidence of failed supernovae.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 17, 2026, 5:27 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interesting Engineering

A Silent Departure from the Stellar Neighborhood

For nearly a decade: astronomers have been tracking a luminous supergiant star designated as M31 2014 DS1, located approximately 2.5 million light years away in the Andromeda Galaxy. Starting in 2014, the star exhibited a peculiar behavior: it brightened significantly in mid infrared light before beginning a steady and dramatic decline. By 2023, the star had effectively winked out of existence in visible light wavelengths, becoming nearly invisible to even the most sensitive optical telescopes. This sudden disappearance is a major departure from the typical life cycle of massive stars: which usually end their lives in a spectacular supernova explosion that can outshine entire galaxies for weeks.

The Mechanics of a Failed Supernova Event

The discovery, led by researchers at Columbia University and the Flatiron Institute, provides some of the most compelling evidence to date for the failed supernova theory. In a standard stellar death, the core of a massive star collapses, sending a powerful shockwave outward that ejects the star’s outer layers into space. However, in the case of M31 2014 DS1, the shockwave appears to have failed to overcome the immense gravitational pull of the collapsing core. Instead of an explosion, the majority of the star’s mass fell back inward, directly feeding the birth of a stellar mass black hole. This process is far quieter and more difficult to detect than a traditional supernova: often leaving only a dusty shroud of expelled gas.

Decoding the Data from Decades of Observation

The breakthrough was made possible by sifting through archival data from NASA’s NEOWISE mission, combined with observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and ground based facilities. Researchers noted that while the star vanished in optical light, a lingering and faint infrared glow persisted. Transformative analysis of this light suggests it is powered by a small fraction of the star’s remaining material, roughly 0.1 percent of its original envelope, continuing to spiral into the newly formed black hole. This slow motion afterglow serves as a cosmic fingerprint: allowing scientists to confirm that the star did not simply hide behind a cloud of dust but actually underwent a fundamental physical transformation into a singularity.