Sagittarius A*, the monster thought to be dormant in the galaxy that contains Earth, has unexpectedly revealed a frightening signal.
Recorded by NASA’s IXPE spacecraft, it is described as “echoes from the realm of the dead,” serving as vivid evidence that the “monster” of the Milky Way is not as dormant as previously believed.
Sagittarius A* is the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which has long since passed its frenzied “feeding” phase. It has an estimated mass of about 4.1 million Suns and is classified among the largest supermassive black holes in the universe, commonly referred to as “monster black holes.”
Monster Black Hole – (Image: SPACE).
However, increasing evidence suggests that this monster is quietly awakening and consuming unfortunate objects that venture too close to its “mouth.”
Fortunately, the IXPE spacecraft has detected an unusual brightening of giant star-forming molecular clouds residing near the monster’s “heart,” realizing they are shining more than expected in X-ray light.
Analysis indicates that this X-ray emission does not originate from the clouds themselves but is reflected from the light of an explosion from Sagittarius A*.
Calculations by scientist Frederic Marin from the University of Strasbourg (France) and colleagues show that this explosion occurred only around the 19th century, thanks to complex reflection events that allow us to “look in the mirror” with a relatively low delay.
According to the authors, this does not imply that the black hole has revived in a way reminiscent of its younger, frenzied feeding days. In reality, even when considered “asleep,” Sagittarius A* still possesses a strong gravitational field around it, sufficient to tear apart any unfortunate object that strays too close.
This time, the black hole’s meal lasted for a year and a half, a significant duration for humans but merely a blink of an eye in the lifespan of celestial bodies.
It is still unknown exactly what object was torn apart by Sagittarius A*, but the leading hypothesis is that it involves stars recently born in those molecular clouds. This also suggests that Sagittarius A* has awakened not just once, as many “snacks” are always available in its vicinity.
The new discovery was published in the scientific journal Nature on June 21.
