by Kim Phifer | Feb 14, 2012 | Daily Paper Summaries
The Center of our Galaxy is one of the most extreme dynamical environments we can observe in detail because individual stars can actually be resolved using adaptive optics. Over time, monitoring individual stellar orbits has firmly established the presence of a supermassive black hole of about 4 x 106 M☉ (check out this video too). Further examination of these fast-moving stars’ properties (via infrared spectroscopy) revealed a surprising detail — many of these stars are young!
by Susanna Kohler | Feb 10, 2012 | Daily Paper Summaries
Small daily flares are observed from the black hole in the center of our galaxy. The authors of this paper propose the flares are due to Sgr A* frequently snacking on asteroids!
by Susanna Kohler | Dec 16, 2011 | Daily Paper Summaries
Remember that tidal disruption event we talked about earlier this year, where a star got just a little too close to a quiescent black hole? Well, here’s our chance to witness something similar, happening in the center of our very own galaxy!
