ON
← Back to feed
Discovered the fastest star in our galaxy, will it reveal a secret?
Slovenia🔬 Science16 hr. ago

Discovered the fastest star in our galaxy, will it reveal a secret?

Astronomers have discovered a star named S301 that orbits the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at an extraordinary speed, making it the fastest known star in our galaxy. S301 was first observed in 2023 but had not been specifically noted until recently. It follows an extremely elongated elliptical orbit, taking just 8.7 years to complete one revolution around the black hole. At its closest approach, S301 reaches speeds of nearly 25,000 kilometers per second, about 8.5% of the speed of light. This extreme velocity has intrigued scientists because it suggests an unusually eccentric orbit, which could provide insights into the behavior of stars near black holes and potentially reveal new information about the nature of Sagittarius A*. The star’s motion is compared to other celestial objects, highlighting its incredible speed relative to human-made vehicles and even the Sun’s orbital speed around the galactic center.

Advertisement

Go to the primary sources (1)

The official sources this coverage is built on. Read them directly to bypass framing.

1 reports

N1 Slovenija logoN1 SlovenijaIndependentCenter16 hr. ago
Discovered the fastest star in our galaxy, will it reveal a secret?

Astronomers have discovered a star named S301 that orbits the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at an extraordinary speed, making it the fastest known star in our galaxy. S301 was first observed in 2023 but had not been specifically noted until recently. It follows an extremely elongated elliptical orbit, taking just 8.7 years to complete one revolution around the black hole. At its closest approach, S301 reaches speeds of nearly 25,000 kilometers per second, about 8.5% of the speed of light. This extreme velocity has intrigued scientists because it suggests an unusually eccentric orbit, which could provide insights into the behavior of stars near black holes and potentially reveal new information about the nature of Sagittarius A*. The star’s motion is compared to other celestial objects, highlighting its incredible speed relative to human-made vehicles and even the Sun’s orbital speed around the galactic center.

Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific findings without overt ideological framing. It focuses on astronomical observations and their implications for astrophysics, using factual descriptions and comparisons without promoting any particular political agenda. The tone remains objective, emphasizing data and🔭

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories