This gas needs an enormous amount of energy to shine — more than normal stars can supply. The discovery, based on data from NASA 's James Webb Space Telescope, likely means the barred spiral galaxy, sometimes called Messier 83 or M83, has been harboring an active, supermassive black hole in secret.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have peered into galaxies that existed at cosmic noon to hunt ravenously feeding black holes and bursts of starbirth.