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Roman Will Count Black Holes by Their Messiest Meals

Simulations suggest the telescope could find up to 100 stellar tidal-disruption events each year, including in the early universe.

Published Updated Story ID: mp-2026-07-18-009
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Summary

Simulations suggest the telescope could find up to 100 stellar tidal-disruption events each year, including in the early universe.

A new forecast says Roman's wide, repeated infrared survey can catch stars being torn apart by otherwise faint supermassive black holes, including systems seen as far back as 11 billion years. The expected sample could help distinguish early black-hole growth routes. The count is a mission forecast before launch, not an observed catalog.

Why it matters

Simulations suggest the telescope could find up to 100 stellar tidal-disruption events each year, including in the early universe.

Limits and context

  • The count is a mission forecast before launch, not an observed catalog.

Key claims

  1. Simulations suggest the telescope could find up to 100 stellar tidal-disruption events each year, including in the early universe.

    Qualification: The count is a mission forecast before launch, not an observed catalog.

    Evidence: source-2026-07-18-009

Sources

  1. STScI via Newswise: Roman tidal-disruption forecastSpace Telescope Science Institute via Newswise · official announcement

Corrections

No corrections have been recorded for this story.