Astronomers have reported the discovery of S301, the fastest known star in our galaxy, which also now becomes the closest yet observed orbiting Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. The star completes an orbit every 8.7 years and reaches about 25,000 km/s, or 8.5% of light speed, at its closest approach. Its unusually tight orbit may enable a direct measurement of Sagittarius A*'s spin within about a decade.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10894-w
Stars, supernovae, black holes and stellar remnants
-
weatheriscool
- Posts: 25729
- Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 6:16 pm
- Contact: