Astronomers have discovered the fastest known star in the Milky Way, racing around the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at an astonishing 25,000 kilometers per second. The star, named S301, is also the closest known star to our galaxy’s central black hole, completing an orbit in just 8.7 years.

Scientists say S301’s extreme proximity to Sagittarius A* could help them directly measure the spin of a supermassive black hole for the first time. The discovery offers a rare opportunity to test Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity in one of the most extreme environments in the universe.

Space news: Astronomers track record-breaking star racing at 25,000 km/sec

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s301 fastest-star

Space news: Astronomers track record-breaking star racing at 25,000 km/sec