F. Tombesi

At the center of galaxy NGC 1068, located 47 million light-years away, lies a black hole hidden behind a dense veil of dust. But X-rays emitted by iron pierce through that veil. The Japanese satellite XRISM captured this glow and split it into colors, much as a prism splits sunlight.

Nearly 12 billion years ago, when the Universe was experiencing the turbulent 'cosmic noon'—the era of record-breaking star formation — at the heart of one galaxy, the quasar WISSH13 was flaring up.