In a significant first, scientists have detected light behind a black hole, which is usually covered by its shadow.

In what can be called a serendipitous discovery, scientists from Stanford University in California had started this research to study one of the mysterious features of the black holes known as the corona.

This extremely hot region consists of superheated particles fueled by the powerful magnetic field of black holes.

"This magnetic field getting tied up and then snapping close to the black hole heats everything around it and produces these high energy electrons that then go on to produce the X-rays," said Dan Wilkins, astrophysicist.

Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicted that the light must bend and reflect due to the strong gravitational pull around a black hole.

The team found direct evidence of reflected light from around this supermassive black.

"Any light that goes into that black hole doesn't come out, so we shouldn't be able to see anything that's behind the black hole.

The reason we can see is that black hole is warping space, bending light and twisting magnetic fields around itself," explains Dan Wilkins.