Star whips around Milky Way’s central black hole at extreme speed
Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope have identified a faint object designated S301 that reaches a peak speed of about 25,000 km per second as it swings around the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* every 8.7 years. Its trajectory brings it as close to the black hole as Saturn is to the Sun, making it the closest known star to the galactic centre. The discovery was made with the GRAVITY instrument on the VLTI in Chile and involves researchers such as Stefan Gillessen and Reinhard Genzel.
Because the star’s path is so tightly wound around Sagittarius A*, scientists say it could provide a new way to probe the black hole’s spin and test relativistic effects. Observations of the star’s next closest approach are being prepared for the coming years.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 24h later
- Centrist coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The star’s extreme orbit offers a rare opportunity to test theories of gravity and learn how supermassive black holes influence their surroundings.
How this story developed
- Aug 19 German astronomers track star racing near Milky Way's central black hole
- Aug 20 Observations are being planned for the star’s 2031 closest approach to the black hole.
