Scientists discover twin stars for first time near black hole in center of our galaxy

By Alimat Aliyeva 

Scientists from the University of Cologne have, for the first time, recorded a binary star system that orbits a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. The discovery was announced by The Conversation portal.

The binary star system, named D9, is a unique formation located near the very center of the Milky Way, close to the black hole Sagittarius A. This black hole, situated about 27,000 light-years from Earth, has a diameter of roughly 23.5 million kilometers. Despite the vast distances involved, astronomers were able to detect and closely study the movement of the stars in this system using methods based on the Doppler effect.

Binary star systems are crucial for astronomers because their orbital movements can provide precise information about the mass and characteristics of each star. In the case of the D9 system, by observing the orbits of the stars, the researchers were able to determine that the system is about 2.7 million years old. This suggests that the D9 stars did not form in the extreme conditions around the black hole but may have been captured by its gravity relatively recently.

The findings offer valuable insights into how supermassive black holes influence stars, including ultrafast ones that travel at speeds greater than 1,000 kilometers per second. Astronomers hypothesize that such stars could have been ejected from binary systems if they ventured too close to a black hole, highlighting the intense gravitational forces at play.

Scientists hope that continued research on the D9 system will unlock further knowledge about gravitational interactions near supermassive black holes, shedding light on the dynamics of star formation and the complex relationships between black holes and their surrounding environments. This discovery opens new doors to understanding the structure and behavior of our galaxy, potentially revealing other hidden phenomena in the heart of the Milky Way.