Star S301 sets speed record near Milky Way's central black hole
Astronomers discovered a star named S301 near the Milky Way's center, reaching speeds over 8% of light speed. At closest approach, it comes within 1.8 billion kilometers of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, ten times closer than any known star. Its extreme orbit may allow unprecedented tests of gravity, including frame-dragging effects.
This summary is AI-generated and original to Mobble; the linked article is the authoritative source.
Original headline: “Fastest star ever spotted at the centre of our galaxy.” Browse more stories.