Researchers published in Nature describe a newly discovered star on an extremely eccentric orbit that passes closer to Sgr A* than any previously identified object, potentially enabling the first measurement of the supermassive black hole's spin. This discovery adds to the population of stars used as natural probes to study the environment near the galactic center.
Background
Sgr A* is the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, estimated at nearly 4 million solar masses. While its mass has been well constrained by tracking orbiting stars, its spin remains one of the last unmeasured properties.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Aug 19, 2026 at 11:56 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10