Simulation of Material Orbiting close to a Black Hole

ESO's exquisitely sensitive GRAVITY instrument has added further evidence to the long-standing assumption that a supermassive black hole lurks in the centre of the Milky Way. New observations show clumps of gas swirling around at about 30% of the speed of light on a circular orbit just outside a four million solar mass black hole — the first time material has been observed orbiting close to the point of no return, and the most detailed observations yet of material orbiting this close to a black hole.

This visualisation uses data from simulations of orbital motions of gas swirling around at about 30% of the speed of light on a circular orbit around the black hole.

Credit:

ESO/Gravity Consortium/L. Calçada

About the Image

Id:eso1835a
Type:Artwork
Release date:31 October 2018, 10:00
Related releases:eso1835
Size:2970 x 2972 px

About the Object

Name:Sagittarius A*
Type:Milky Way : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole
Category:Illustrations
Quasars and Black Holes

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