Near-infrared flare from Galactic Centre

Detection of a powerful flare from the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. These and other adaptive optics (AO) images (with resolution 0.040 arcsec in the near-infrared H-band at wavelength 1.65 µm) of the central region of the Milky Way were obtained with the NACO imager on the 8.2-m VLT YEPUN telescope at the ESO Paranal Observatory on May 9, 2003. The image covers a sky area of about 1 x 1 arcsec, corresponding to about 45 light-days at the distance of the Galactic Centre. The time (in minutes from the beginning of the data set at 6h59m24s (UT) on May 9, 2003) is shown at the upper right of each image. North is up and East to the left. The position of the 15-year orbiting star S2 is marked by a cross and the astrometric location of the black hole is indicated by a circle.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0330a
Type:Observation
Release date:29 October 2003
Related releases:eso0330
Size:1275 x 634 px

About the Object

Name:Milky Way Galactic Centre
Type:Milky Way : Galaxy : Component : Center/Core
Distance:25000 light years
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
154.3 KB
Screensize JPEG
91.4 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
H
1.65 μmVery Large Telescope
NACO