Model Ties Sagittarius A* Star Orbits to 1,000-Solar-Mass Black Hole
Updated
Updated · New Scientist · Jun 24
Model Ties Sagittarius A* Star Orbits to 1,000-Solar-Mass Black Hole
3 articles · Updated · New Scientist · Jun 24
Summary
Researchers led by Xiaochen Zheng propose that a several-hundred- to 1,000-solar-mass intermediate black hole could explain all three stellar populations around Sagittarius A* in one model.
Their scenario starts with the stars forming together in a single disc, then being reshaped by the tilted companion’s gravity into off-disc stars, a preserved clockwise disc and chaotic inner S-stars.
The model also accounts for the S-stars’ “zone of avoidance” by having close stellar interactions near the galactic center tear apart binary systems rather than requiring separate formation events.
IRS-13E is a possible host for the unseen perturber, but astronomers still lack firm evidence that the cluster is real or that an intermediate-mass black hole sits inside it.
The proposal offers a simpler explanation for the Milky Way’s central stellar structure, though confirming it will require more precise long-term measurements near the galaxy’s core.
If a rogue black hole sculpted our galaxy's core, where is it hiding now?
What does this hidden cosmic 'ghost' reveal about the chaotic birth of all galactic centers?
Did one cosmic dance create three star families, or does our galaxy's heart hide a more violent history?
Unveiling Intermediate-Mass Black Holes at the Galactic Center: New Evidence, Detection Strategies, and Implications for Milky Way Evolution
Overview
Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s center, is surprisingly faint but shows dramatic flares in X-ray and infrared light a few times each day. Recent observations with the GRAVITY interferometer have captured these flares as fast-moving clumps of gas orbiting near the black hole’s edge, confirming predictions about such 'hot spots.' The Event Horizon Telescope has also imaged Sgr A*, revealing its shadow against swirling gas. These discoveries, along with precise tracking of nearby stars, are helping astronomers unravel the dynamic and mysterious nature of our galaxy’s core.