Surprising Second Black Hole Found in Milky Way's Center

[Dover]

Surprising Second Black Hole Found in Milky Way's Center

By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 15 November 2004
06:23 am ET


Astronomers think they have found a rare if not unique black hole very near the center of the Milky Way. That would make two of the beasts in that part of the galaxy.

The discovery also adds weight to the idea that black holes come in three sizes, essentially small, medium and large.

Stellar black holes -- the remains of collapsed stars, are common. They typically harbor as much mass as a few suns. And for years, scientists have known there are supermassive black holes in many galaxies; one with the mass of more than three million suns anchors the Milky Way.

The newly detected object appears to be an intermediate mass black hole, packing about 1,300 solar masses.

Intermediate mass black holes ought to exist, some theorists say, because they should have been the building blocks of supermassive black holes. A few should be left scattered around any respectable galaxy. But attempts to discover them -- data suggest two others exist in our galaxy -- have so far proved inconclusive...cont'd

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mystery_monday_041115.html

[pmbryant]

1. The center of the galaxy is a fascinating place

But it's a mess trying to decipher out everything that's going on there.

Black holes, to me, are the most boring aspect of this part of astronomy. :-)

--Peter

[GAspnes]

2. pretty soon everyone will have one

"Black holes! Black holes! Three for a dollah!"

I'm glad we're far away from that neighborhood. So much for the SF idea that the oldest Galactic civilizations are near the center. They'd have one hell of a tan.

[YankeyMCC]

3. It's odd

the last collection of SF short stories I read contained serveral stories dealing with conditions at the center of the Galaxy (and how humanity colonizes and lives there) and they all mentioned satellite black holes around the supermassive one at the center. These stories were written last year well before this discovery.

Were these "intermediate" sized holes predicted?

[GAspnes]

4. you read enough science fiction

and you'll run into a lot of ideas. Some pan out, like the one you mentioned, and others don't. Who remembers Mekstrom's Disease these days? Or the pre-lunar-orbit idea that the Moon was a big painted canvas on the Earth-facing side, and a web of 2x4's on the back?

[AngryAmish]

6. You are so naive

You really think the Moon is not a painted canvas? Didn't you see Capricorn One?

[Beetwasher]

5. Hmm, I Thought The Center Was Sweet Nougat and Creamy Caramel

:evilgrin: