| Astrophysics (Index) | About |
A hypercompact stellar system (HCSS) is a theoretical astronomical body not within a galaxy, consisting of a supermassive black hole surrounded by a dense cluster of stars. Essentially, it is a compact stellar nucleus that has been kicked out of its galaxy. A black hole merger can give the resulting black hole a substantial push and for a binary SMBH, the resulting velocity might exceed the escape velocity of the galaxy. At least one candidate HCSS has been proposed.