Black Hole Gravity Waves Detected before 2028
MetaculusDec 23, 2022
First Binary Stars Found Near Milky Way's Black Hole
Above: Photograph of the Milky Way galaxy seen at night. Image copyright: Unsplash
The Facts
Using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope in Chile, scientists have discovered the first binary star system, named D9, orbiting near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
The binary system consists of two stars with masses of 2.80 and 0.73 solar masses, orbiting each other approximately every 372 days at a distance of approximately 26K light-years from Earth.
The Spin
Narrative A
The discovery of a binary star system near Sagittarius A* proves that extreme gravity isn't always destructive to star systems. This finding hints at the potential for planet formation around young stars in such environments, suggesting that black holes might not be as inhospitable as thought, thus expanding our cosmic understanding and observational possibilities.
Narrative B
Planets, especially Earth-like ones, can't live near black holes due to extreme conditions — intense space weather, time dilation disrupting communication, overwhelming radiation and heat, a flood of neutrinos causing further heating, and lacking protective atmospheres against these hazards, making life unsustainable. We shouldn't get our hopes up about finding planets with anything resembling life in the vicinity of this binary system.
Metaculus Prediction
Sign Up for Our Free NewslettersSign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up!
Sign Up Now!