Gas Cloud-galactic Black Hole Approach
by Mpe/european Southern Observatory/science Photo Library
Title
Gas Cloud-galactic Black Hole Approach
Artist
Mpe/european Southern Observatory/science Photo Library
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Gas cloud-galactic black hole approach. Sequence of three images taken in 2002, 2007 and 2011, showing a gas cloud (circled in red) rapidly approaching the supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A) at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. The galactic centre is 25,000 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Sagittarius. The gas cloud is expected to break-up in 2013 (see simulation in C013/1115) as it is torn apart by the tidal forces generated by the supermassive black hole. These images were obtained with the NACO (NAOS-CONICA) infrared system on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT).
Uploaded
October 4th, 2018
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