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.



Fastest star ever found in Milky Way could unlock black hole secrets

This unusual orientation offers an unprecedented opportunity to study the behaviour of matter and magnetic fields around one of the most enigmatic objects in the universe.

This unusual orientation offers an unprecedented opportunity to study the behaviour of matter and magnetic fields around one of the most enigmatic objects in the universe.

Milky Way’s monster black hole spins at near light speed and it’s pointed straight at Earth

Despite being invisible, black holes betray their presence through their powerful effects on nearby stars and gas.

Despite being invisible, black holes betray their presence through their powerful effects on nearby stars and gas.

‘4 million times the Sun’s mass’: 5 facts about the closest supermassive black hole to Earth

They form when massive stars exhaust their fuel and collapse under their own gravity, compressing all their mass into an incredibly dense point called a singularity

They form when massive stars exhaust their fuel and collapse under their own gravity, compressing all their mass into an incredibly dense point called a singularity

If nothing escapes a black hole, could one really swallow the entire universe?

The supermassive black hole located at the centre of our galaxy has been spinning extremely fast and out of orientation with the rest of the galaxy. The reason behind this behaviour and how it came into existence has been a mystery.&nbsp;

Now a new study seems to have the answers to both the questions.&nbsp;

Sagittarius A*, 26,000 light-years away from us, is a gargantuan tear in space-time. It is four million times the mass of our sun and 14.6 million miles (23.5 million kilometres) wide.&nbsp;

The telescope that first captured the black hole's image in 2022 had a lot more data about it. This data was studied by researchers, who believe that Sagittarius A* was born from a cataclysmic merger with another giant black hole billions of years ago. The findings published on September 6 in the journal Nature Astronomy say that the black hole is still showing the effects of this violent collision.&nbsp;

"This discovery paves the way for our understanding of how supermassive black holes grow and evolve," study lead author Yihan Wang, an astrophysicist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The misaligned high spin of Sgr A* indicates that it may have merged with another black hole, dramatically altering its amplitude and orientation of spin."

<h2>Supermassive black holes</h2>

As per the scientists, Sgr A* was born just like any other black hole - after the collapse of a giant star or gas cloud. It then started gobbling up anything that came too close. Black holes can slowly become monstrous in size and feed on other supermassive black holes.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/volcano-born-from-nothing-on-jupiters-moon-lo-didnt-exist-25-years-back-757975">Volcano born from 'nothing' on Jupiter's moon lo didn't exist 25 years back</a>

"This merger likely occurred around 9 billion years ago, following the Milky Way's merger with the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy," study co-author Bing Zhang, a professor of physics and astronomy at UNLV, said in the statement.&nbsp;

Supermassive black holes merge when entire galaxies merge. Milky Way has had several such mergers and collisions in the last 12 billion years, experts say. But, scientists are not sure about the role of black hole mergers in creating supermassive black holes. Can simply feeding on gas and dust turn a black hole into a supermassive black hole?

The new discovery "provides insights into the dynamic history of our galaxy," Zhang added.

The supermassive black hole located at the centre of our galaxy has been spinning extremely fast and out of orientation with the rest of the galaxy. The reason behind this behaviour and how it came into existence has been a mystery.

The supermassive black hole located at the centre of our galaxy has been spinning extremely fast and out of orientation with the rest of the galaxy. The reason behind this behaviour and how it came into existence has been a mystery. Now a new study seems to have the answers to both the questions. Sagittarius A*, 26,000 light-years away from us, is a gargantuan tear in space-time. It is four million times the mass of our sun and 14.6 million miles (23.5 million kilometres) wide. The telescope that first captured the black hole's image in 2022 had a lot more data about it. This data was studied by researchers, who believe that Sagittarius A* was born from a cataclysmic merger with another giant black hole billions of years ago. The findings published on September 6 in the journal Nature Astronomy say that the black hole is still showing the effects of this violent collision. "This discovery paves the way for our understanding of how supermassive black holes grow and evolve," study lead author Yihan Wang, an astrophysicist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), said in a statement. "The misaligned high spin of Sgr A* indicates that it may have merged with another black hole, dramatically altering its amplitude and orientation of spin." Supermassive black holes As per the scientists, Sgr A* was born just like any other black hole - after the collapse of a giant star or gas cloud. It then started gobbling up anything that came too close. Black holes can slowly become monstrous in size and feed on other supermassive black holes. Also Read: Volcano born from 'nothing' on Jupiter's moon lo didn't exist 25 years back "This merger likely occurred around 9 billion years ago, following the Milky Way's merger with the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy," study co-author Bing Zhang, a professor of physics and astronomy at UNLV, said in the statement. Supermassive black holes merge when entire galaxies merge. Milky Way has had several such mergers and collisions in the last 12 billion years, experts say. But, scientists are not sure about the role of black hole mergers in creating supermassive black holes. Can simply feeding on gas and dust turn a black hole into a supermassive black hole? The new discovery "provides insights into the dynamic history of our galaxy," Zhang added.

Mega collision with another galaxy 9 billion years ago created Milky Way black hole

A mysterious blob named X7 that has been drifting towards the centre of Milky Way's supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* could be the debris of two colliding stars, a recent study has found.

A mysterious blob named X7 that has been drifting towards the centre of Milky Way's supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* could be the debris of two colliding stars, a recent study has found. For decades, the mystery of the blob, which has a mass of around 50 Earths, has surprised astronomers. However, after analysing 20 years' worth of observations, a team of scientists at the University of California have unravelled the secret. The scientists posited that when two stars collided in the relatively recent past, they spewed a cloud of burning plasma that later metamorphosed into the giant blob as we observe it today. "No other object in this region has shown such an extreme evolution. It started off comet-shaped and people thought maybe it got that shape from stellar winds or jets of particles from the black hole," said Anna Ciurlo, one of the lead authors of the study. "X7 could be the dust and gas ejected from a merged star that's still out there somewhere," she added. Read more: Explained: A new theory says Black holes are causing universe to expand It is not uncommon for a black hole to engulf the remnants of other stars in its vicinity. The X7 blob is on a 170-year-long elliptical orbit around the black hole at the minute. However, its orbit may not last long as the powerful gravity of the black hole may rip it apart, before swallowing it whole, in the next few decades. Check out this animation by @AdamGDog showing X7's anticipated fate as it makes its closest approach to Sgr A* around the year 2036, giving insight into the extreme environment of the Galactic Center. Congrats to Anna Ciurlo of @GalacticCtrGrp, Randy, & the entire team! pic.twitter.com/zdyjIPoUGA — W. M. Keck Observatory (@keckobservatory) February 21, 2023 × "We anticipate the strong tidal forces exerted by the galactic black hole will ultimately tear X7 apart before it completes even one orbit," said Mark Morris, co-author of the study. Read more: Chaos in Milky Way? Stars forming at greater pace than previously thought, study shows The scientists will be closely monitoring the fate of the 'odd-looking' blob over the coming years. The object gives a fascinating insight into the dynamics of our home galaxy's centre. Stellar collisions and the subsequent effect of extreme gravity on it can help scientists understand the secrets of universe. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Scientists solve the mystery of 'odd-looking' blob being sucked into our galaxy's black hole

Space enthusiasts around the world are fascinated after astronomers recently captured first ever image of a black hole at the centre of universe. It is the first image over compiled of Sagittarius A*

Black hole at centre of Milky Way: Key details about Sagittarius A

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Fastest star ever found in Milky Way could unlock black hole secrets

Milky Way’s black hole spins at maximum speed and it’s pointed straight at Earth

5 intriguing facts about the closest supermassive black hole to Earth!

If nothing escapes a black hole, could one really swallow the entire universe?

Mega collision with another galaxy 9 billion years ago created Milky Way black hole

Scientists solve the mystery of 'odd-looking' blob being sucked into our galaxy's black hole

Black hole at centre of Milky Way: Key details about Sagittarius A