⚙️ how

How do astronomers find black hole centers in galaxies?

Quick Answer

They track stars and gas moving very fast near the galactic center. Those speeds reveal an extremely massive, compact object, often millions or billions of times the Sun’s mass.

The Full Story

Astronomers infer central black holes by measuring the orbits of nearby stars and the motion of hot gas. If the material whips around a tiny region at very high speed, it points to a compact mass that cannot be explained by ordinary stars. In 2022, the Event Horizon Telescope released the first image of Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. It has a mass of about 4 million Suns.

Key Facts

1.Sagittarius A* has about 4 million solar masses
2.The Event Horizon Telescope released its image in 2022
3.Galactic centers often contain supermassive black holes

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"How do you spot the invisible monster at a galaxy’s core?"

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