The Center of the Milky Way Galaxy?

[Goatman]

I am unsure on what exactly is at the center of the galaxy. I looked up some articles but some stated that scientists are unsure.

 

[Comeback City]

I am unsure on what exactly is at the center of the galaxy. I looked up some articles but some stated that scientists are unsure.

I'm pretty sure there is a supermassive black hole at the center. Do you have a reference saying otherwise?

 

[Goatman]

I also heard of there being a star cluster which maybe proves why it is so bright in the center

 

[Comeback City]

I also heard of there being a star cluster which maybe proves why it is so bright in the center

Do you have a reference?

 

[Goatman]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_Center
This is the wikipedia article
It states that we can not observe the center because of "interstellar dust"

 

[Comeback City]

It also says there is strong evidence for a supermassive black hole at the center. And it goes on to say...

"Because of interstellar dust along the line of sight, the Galactic Center cannot be studied at visible, ultraviolet or soft X-ray wavelengths. The available information about the Galactic Center comes from observations at gamma ray, hard X-ray, infrared, sub-millimetre and radio wavelengths."

So we can still observe it, but not with visible light.

 

[Drakkith]

I am unsure on what exactly is at the center of the galaxy. I looked up some articles but some stated that scientists are unsure.

Scientists are confident that there is both a supermassive black hole near the center of the galaxy and that there are many other stars in the same region. The wikipedia article gives a good overview of our current knowledge about the galactic center. Is there anything in particular that you don't understand?

 

[Goatman]

so how does this black hole function within the center?

 

[Drakkith]

so how does this black hole function within the center?

I'm sorry, but I don't understand your question. What do you mean by "function" in this context?

 

[Goatman]

meaning how does this black hole (in the center) differ from other black holes that apeear in space

 

[Drakkith]

meaning how does this black hole (in the center) differ from other black holes that apeear in space

Well, other galaxies also have supermassive black holes in their centers, and there are also smaller black holes spread around the galaxy and in other galaxies. Other than the specific mass, the only differences would be that our is located in the center of our galaxy and other aren't.

 

[stoomart]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_Center
This is the wikipedia article
It states that we can not observe the center because of "interstellar dust"

There's an extremely massive and compact object (black hole) that has entire stars orbiting it like they were tiny planets. This video is a great visual:

 

[Comeback City]

Other than the specific mass, the only differences would be that our is located in the center of our galaxy and other aren't.

And rotation (or lack of rotation) of the BH could also be a difference.

 

[rootone]

So not only in our Milky Way galaxy is there is a supermassive black hole in the center, it seems that most galaxies do,
As well as that, the center is also crowded with lots of other star systems, and again most galaxies are like that.
Outside of the center there can be stellar mass black holes, but the SMBH in a galaxy is a very different creature, and there is only one in a typical galaxy.
There could be two after a galaxy collision, but those are expected to merge eventually

 

[Comeback City]

There could be two after a galaxy collision, but those are expected to merge eventually

Is that what LIGO detected last year, or was it just two rogue black holes colliding?

 

[Drakkith]

Is that what LIGO detected last year, or was it just two rogue black holes colliding?

They were black holes of around 29 and 36 solar masses each.

 

[Chalnoth]

They were black holes of around 29 and 36 solar masses each.

For contrast, the black holes at the centers of galaxies typically have masses of millions to billions of solar masses.