The Milky Way’s black hole is eerily quiet. Scientists have now found evidence of missing wind
After five years of observations, researchers found a 3-light-year cavity that suggests Sagittarius A* is pushing out a weak wind.
- University of Michigan doctoral student Xin "Cindy" Xiang used XRISM data to reveal that black hole winds in the galaxy NGC 4151 can sweep away gas, potentially reducing future star formation.
- Analyzing the galaxy, researchers identified a direct timing connection where powerful outflows typically appear about 10,000 seconds after X-ray activity, providing insight into how black holes influence galactic evolution.
- After analyzing five years of radio data, Northwestern University research assistant professor Mark Gorski and assistant professor Lena Murchikova found evidence of a "missing" wind from Sagittarius A* at our galaxy's center.
- Observations revealed a cone-shaped cavity about 3 light-years long in the cold gas, confirming that hot plasma from the black hole sculpted the region and supporting the theory that these winds regulate star formation.
- These findings demonstrate that even when not undergoing rapid growth, supermassive black holes launch winds into host galaxies, offering astronomers a new tool to understand why some massive galaxies contain fewer stars than expected.
23 Articles
23 Articles
The Milky Way’s black hole is eerily quiet. Scientists have now found evidence of missing wind
Scientists say they have detected evidence of cosmic-scale wind coming from a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, potentially solving one of the longest-standing mysteries in astronomy.
Black hole winds may be robbing giant galaxies of their future stars
Astronomers may be closing in on a long-standing cosmic mystery: why some of the universe’s biggest galaxies seem to have far fewer stars than expected. Using NASA- and JAXA-supported XRISM observations of a galaxy called NGC 4151, researchers found strong evidence that supermassive black holes can unleash powerful winds that blow away the raw material needed to make new stars.
Scientists say they found evidence of a cosmic wind coming from a supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy, Milky Way. Evidence could solve one of the oldest mysteries in astronomy.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
