Fastest Star S301 Detected Orbiting Milky Way's Central Black Hole
Summary
Astronomers have identified S301, the fastest known star in the Milky Way, orbiting extremely close to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at the galaxy’s center. The discovery could help scientists measure the black hole’s spin and test Einstein’s theory of relativity.
Key Points
- S301 has been detected as the fastest known star in the Milky Way, moving at about 25,000 kilometers per second.
- The star orbits Sagittarius A* unusually close and completes one revolution in just 8.7 years.
- Scientists say the orbit could provide the first direct measurement of the supermassive black hole’s spin.
- The observations were made with ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile.
