Does the Milky Way central black hole rotate? This star could tell us

Aug 19, 2026 #europeansouthernobservatory #astronomy #science
Astronomers have discovered the fastest known star in our galaxy, the Milky Way, orbiting Sagittarius A*, the black hole at its centre. The star, named S301, was detected with ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) and it reaches speeds of more than 8% the speed of light. It comes closer to the black hole than any other star observed before, so close that it feels the effects of the black hole’s rotation. This video summarises the discovery.

For more details, check: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2612/

0:00 - Tracking the S301 star
1:19 - How did S301 get there?
2:30 - Testing General Relativity
4:37 - Twisting space-time
5:43 - How to measure the spin of Sgr A*

Discover how the VLTI works: • These underground tunnels observe the Univ...

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Enjoy breathtaking views of astronomical objects: • Fly over the Gum 10 and 11 nebulae

Travel to the location of astronomical objects on the night sky: • Zooming in on Betelgeuse’s companion

Credit: ESO

Directed by: M. Wallner, M. Kornmesser
Hosted by: S. Randall
Written by: E. Elkington, S. Randall, B. Ferreira
Editing: M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada
Videography: A. Tsaousis
Animations & footage:
ESO, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, GRAVITY collaboration, American Institute of Physics (AIP), Apical, Cimolai, Nobel Foundation archive, A. Tsaousis
Music: Envato
Web and technical support: R. Yumi Shida
Scientific consultants: P. Amico
Promotion: J. C. Muñoz Mateos and O. Sandu
Filming Locations: ESO Supernova (supernova.eso.org)

Based on research by the GRAVITY collaboration
Produced by ESO, the European Southern Observatory (eso.org)


#europeansouthernobservatory #astronomy #science #SgrA #SagA
ESO Chasing Starlight examines S301, a record-breaking star with an extreme orbit around Sagittarius A*. By analyzing this star's unique path, researchers aim to probe the gravitational environment of the galaxy's supermassive black hole and potentially test Einstein's theory of general relativity through the measurement of black hole spin.
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ESO Chasing Starlight
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