Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole

A telescope has captured the fastest known star in the Milky Way, whizzing around the massive black hole at the galaxy's core. The star is traveling at an astonishing speed of approximately 15,534 miles per second, which is 100,000 times quicker than a commercial aircraft. Astronomer Stefan Gillessen from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics described the star's velocity as "really, extremely fast."

This newly discovered star orbits the black hole at a remarkably close distance, completing one revolution in just 8.7 years. This is significantly closer than any other star found in such proximity to a supermassive black hole. The star's ability to maintain its orbit despite the black hole's gravitational pull is due to the star's incredible speed.

The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, situated in Chile's Atacama Desert, was used to detect the star through data analysis. The star is one of several hundred others that closely orbit the giant black hole, all influenced by its gravity. Scientists have mapped the orbits of around 50 of these stars.

The star's proximity to the black hole (10 times closer than the previous record) exposes it to the black hole's rotational effects. Supermassive black holes are common in the centers of large galaxies, but their inner workings remain elusive due to their gravitational pull, which prevents even light from escaping. However, by studying stars like this one, scientists can gain insights into these mysterious properties, such as the speed of the supermassive black hole's rotation.

Advanced telescopes are enabling the detection of fainter stars that were previously undetectable, potentially revealing even faster stars in the future.