Science
Astronomers discover S301, the fastest-moving star recorded near the Milky Way's central black hole
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute found that the dim star reaches peak speeds of 15,500 miles per second as it orbits Sagittarius A*.
The short version
- Scientists identified S301, a star orbiting ten times closer to Sagittarius A* than any previously known star.
- The star reaches peak velocities of roughly 15,500 miles per second during its closest approach to the supermassive black hole.
- Researchers plan to track S301 over the next decade to test general relativity predictions, including extreme frame-dragging effects.
Key facts
- Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics discovered S301 using instruments including Gravity on the Very Large Telescope and Micado on the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile.[CNET]
- S301 attains a top speed of about 15,500 miles per second (55.8 million miles per hour) as it accelerates around Sagittarius A*, making it the fastest-moving celestial object documented by astronomers.[CNET]
- S301 orbits ten times closer to Sagittarius A* than the previously closest known star, S2.[CNET]
- The extreme proximity of S301 has allowed scientists to directly measure the Lense-Thirring frame-dragging effect caused by the rotation of the black hole.[CNET]
- S301 is exceptionally faint, measuring approximately two billion times dimmer than Betelgeuse.[CNET]
What remains uncertain
- The full scientific insights regarding black hole mechanics rely on further observations planned over the next decade.[CNET]