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A star in a 15.2-year orbit around the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way

Author

Listed:
  • R. Schödel

    (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik)

  • T. Ott

    (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik)

  • R. Genzel

    (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
    University of California)

  • R. Hofmann

    (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik)

  • M. Lehnert

    (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik)

  • A. Eckart

    (Universität zu Köln)

  • N. Mouawad

    (Universität zu Köln)

  • T. Alexander

    (The Weizmann Institute of Science, Faculty of Physics)

  • M. J. Reid

    (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics MS42)

  • R. Lenzen

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie)

  • M. Hartung

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie)

  • F. Lacombe

    (Observatoire de Paris - Section de Meudon)

  • D. Rouan

    (Observatoire de Paris - Section de Meudon)

  • E. Gendron

    (Observatoire de Paris - Section de Meudon)

  • G. Rousset

    (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales)

  • A.-M. Lagrange

    (Observatoire de Grenoble)

  • W. Brandner

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • N. Ageorges

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • C. Lidman

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • A. F. M. Moorwood

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • J. Spyromilio

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • N. Hubin

    (European Southern Observatory)

  • K. M. Menten

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie)

Abstract

Many galaxies are thought to have supermassive black holes at their centres1—more than a million times the mass of the Sun. Measurements of stellar velocities2,3,4,5,6,7 and the discovery of variable X-ray emission8 have provided strong evidence in favour of such a black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, but have hitherto been unable to rule out conclusively the presence of alternative concentrations of mass. Here we report ten years of high-resolution astrometric imaging that allows us to trace two-thirds of the orbit of the star currently closest to the compact radio source (and massive black-hole candidate) Sagittarius A*. The observations, which include both pericentre and apocentre passages, show that the star is on a bound, highly elliptical keplerian orbit around Sgr A*, with an orbital period of 15.2 years and a pericentre distance of only 17 light hours. The orbit with the best fit to the observations requires a central point mass of (3.7 ± 1.5) × 106 solar masses (M⊙). The data no longer allow for a central mass composed of a dense cluster of dark stellar objects or a ball of massive, degenerate fermions.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Schödel & T. Ott & R. Genzel & R. Hofmann & M. Lehnert & A. Eckart & N. Mouawad & T. Alexander & M. J. Reid & R. Lenzen & M. Hartung & F. Lacombe & D. Rouan & E. Gendron & G. Rousset & A.-M. Lagran, 2002. "A star in a 15.2-year orbit around the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way," Nature, Nature, vol. 419(6908), pages 694-696, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:419:y:2002:i:6908:d:10.1038_nature01121
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01121
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