Astronomers Make Groundbreaking Discovery of Massive Black Hole in Milky Way
Astronomers have made a remarkable and unexpected discovery by uncovering the most massive stellar-mass black hole in our galaxy, named Gaia BH3, which is an astonishing 33 times more massive than our sun. This groundbreaking find places Gaia BH3 as the second-closest known black hole to Earth, located roughly 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Aquila.
The researchers behind this remarkable discovery recently published their findings in the prestigious journal Astronomy and Astrophysics on April 16. The discovery of Gaia BH3 was unexpected and considered a rare find in the field of astronomy, shedding new light on the mysteries of our universe.
Black holes are known to be born from the collapse of giant stars and grow by consuming gas, dust, stars, and even other black holes. They are classified into two main categories: stellar-mass black holes and supermassive black holes, with intermediate-mass black holes remaining an elusive entity in the world of astrophysics.
By studying baby black holes like Gaia BH3, scientists hope to fill in gaps in our understanding of these cosmic entities. To pinpoint Gaia BH3, researchers utilized data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft, followed by observations from the Very Large Telescope in Chile.
The discovery of Gaia BH3’s existence and precise measurement of its mass have opened the door for further study into how it formed and its effects on surrounding matter in the galaxy. This unprecedented find marks a significant milestone in the world of astronomy, paving the way for new discoveries and breakthroughs in our exploration of the universe.