Monster Milky Way black hole photographed for the first time

[Retro]

The supermassive monster black hole at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy has been photographed for the first time.

It weighs 4 million times the mass of our sun and it's about to swallow us whole!! Err, no, it's 26000 light years away, so not quite. However, we are orbiting it. Just how powerful is that gravity to bind us at such a colossal distance though?! It's hard to comprehend. Simply incredible and our BH is tiddly compared to the first one ever photographed: Messier 87 at 6.5 billion solar masses is 1000 bigger. Can't comprehend this? Me, neither. They go even bigger, too.

Read all about it below.

Black hole: First picture of Milky Way monster

Astronomers reveal the first ever image of the black hole at the core of our galaxy.

www.bbc.co.uk

Veritasium has also covered this news and explains the physics of how the black hole appears to us due to the extreme gravitational lensing and distortions that it generates. Fascinating. Full nerd.

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[Tiffany]

Unbelievable!! Your worst nightmare!! Just as long as it stays where it is, I'm fine!

 

[Retro]

Indeed, even if it was rushing towards us at the speed of light, it would still take 26000 years to reach us, so I'm not worried about it. As it is, it's stationary relative to us since we're orbiting it.

 

[Tiffany]

Somehow, I'm not sure that's all that comforting either...but I'll take your evaluation as scientific fact and not worry about something like, I don't know, some super nova thing taking place unexpectedly, that might jettison this black hole a bit closer.

 

[Retro]

Seriously, there's zero risk from that monster. The laws of physics simply won't allow it.

However, there could be a really tiny one, just a metre across maybe, that's lurking relatively close to us and can't be detected. Unlikely it's there, but that could technically reach us and cause havoc...

 

[Tiffany]

Just when I thought it was safe to go back outside

 

[Arantor]

The supermassive monster black hole at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy has been photographed for the first time.

Not sure if just shy or lured out by hearing Muse play.

 

[Retro]

Not sure if just shy or lured out by hearing Muse play.

Somehow, I don't think that thing is afraid of us.

 

[Arantor]

Somehow, I don't think that thing is afraid of us.

Doesn't have to be afraid of us specifically to be shy

 

[Retro]

Doesn't have to be afraid of us specifically to be shy

Awww, bless.