New Study Finds Hundreds of Black Holes Surrounding the Milky Way’s Supermassive Core
TL;DR
Astronomers have discovered compelling evidence of hundreds of black holes clustered within 3.3 light-years of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. Using 12 years of x-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, researchers identified unusually high-energy x-ray sources, suggesting the presence of numerous x-ray binaries and isolated black holes. These findings align with long-standing theories about black holes clustering around galactic centers. Understanding these x-ray binaries could reveal more about how such systems form and evolve in dense environments.
After reading the article, a user named Marcus gained more than 195 upvotes with this comment: “Would like to remind everyone that nearly every massive star will become a black hole when it dies. Our galaxy is home to a billion black holes. Which is a lot!” Don’t forget to discuss this incredible discovery in the comments section below!
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A recent study suggests that hundreds of black holes may be clustered at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. This dense gathering of black holes, long theorized but never observed, supports current models of galactic evolution, scientists claim.
Most galaxies, including the Milky Way, have a single supermassive black hole at their center. This black hole grows by gradually pulling in smaller objects, such as stars and star systems. Researchers have hypothesized that smaller black holes may orbit closely around this supermassive black hole, but until now, there has been no evidence to confirm the existence of such a swarm.
In this new research, Charles Hailey, an astrophysicist at Columbia University, and his team analyzed 12 years of data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a satellite that detects high-energy radiation emitted by hot material around black holes and exploded stars. When they examined the region within about 12 light-years of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* in our galaxy, they identified hundreds of x-ray sources. Comparing x-ray emissions from sources close to Sagittarius A* with those farther away, they noticed significant differences.
For example, Hailey points out that several x-ray sources within 3.3 light-years of the galaxy’s center have an unusually high proportion of emissions at the most energetic wavelengths. Galactic evolution models suggest there should be only one such source near Sagittarius A*, but the team found 12. The researchers published these findings in Nature.
At least six of these x-ray sources, and possibly all 12, are likely what astronomers refer to as x-ray binaries, according to Hailey. In these systems, one object is a typical star, while the other is either a black hole or a neutron star. However, x-ray binaries that include neutron stars often experience sudden bursts of x-ray activity that subside within 5 to 10 years. Since the x-ray emissions from these sources have remained stable over the past 12 years, Hailey believes they likely contain small black holes.
“This is a small number of sources, but they’re very interesting,” comments Fiona Harrison, an astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena who was not involved in the study. The mix of high-energy and low-energy x-rays from these sources “matches those of low-mass binaries with black hole companions,” she observes.
In our region of the galaxy, x-ray binaries are relatively rare. However, for each x-ray binary astronomers have identified, they’ve found many more isolated black holes without companions. These isolated black holes would be too dim to detect near the galactic core, but the x-ray binaries act as indicators of their presence. Even if only six of the x-ray sources contain a black hole, Hailey and his colleagues estimate there could be between 300 and 500 lone black holes orbiting within 3.3 light-years of the galactic center.
Harrison also suggests this research could offer insights into how x-ray binaries form and evolve. In the dense center of a galaxy, black holes may have more opportunities to pair with nearby stars and feed on their material, producing x-rays in the process, than they would in less crowded areas. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty about how these systems form,” she adds.
doesnt this mean that in such a system, theres a higher chance that a black hole can be slingshot out of the center?
Probably a bit of a dumb question, but assuming this was the case, would these eventually colliding and combining into a single SMBH have an effect on how our galaxy rotated in any significant way?
Could these account for the mass that we can not see in the galaxy, rendering black matter unnecessary?