Resolving nearby supermassive black holes with the Black Hole Explorer

Written By Kazunori Akiyama

An example of simulated Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) observations of nearby supermassive black holes using their general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) models. BHEX will resolve a new population of nearby supermassive black holes. Adapted from Akiyama et al. (2026).

This research, led by Prof Akiyama’s remote student Yuto Akiyama, reveals a game-changing potential of the future Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) space mission. Our work shows that BHEX will bring us a wealth of new black hole images, in addition to the iconic first-ever images of two black holes captured by the Event Horizon Telescope. We extensively map out how a next-generation space VLBI mission, including BHEX, will successfully resolve and uncover the hidden structures of nearby supermassive black holes.

The paper, Yuto Akiyama & Kazunori Akiyama et al. (2026), was published from the Publication of Astronomical Society of Pacific (PASP) in its Focused Issue “The Black Hole Explorer“.

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Kazunori Akiyama
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