Eye of the Galaxy

(NASA photo)

Just as an optometrist peers into the pupil of a human eye, scientists are now ready to do the same with a galactic one.

The eye of the Milky Way is thought to be a black hole.  Dubbed “Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*, as in A-star), this gas-eating chasm allegedly snacks on stars.

Glimpses of this process can hopefully be had via the Event Horizon Telescope.  This virtual telescope is Earth-sized in scope, drawing upon information from “eight radio observatories around the world.”  These observatories are located in Spain, Chile, Antarctica, Mexico and

the United States.

Astronomers hope to observe a “banana” of light, indicating the edge (event horizon) of the hole.  This glowing crescent would reflect light that “is bent in the intense gravity around a black hole.”

Physicists have long theorized about the nature of this event horizon.  If seeing is believing, then devotees might soon be swearing on galactic “bibles.”

Resources

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23431204-200-earthsized-telescope-set-to-snap-first-picture-of-a-black-hole/ 

Copyright April 6, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved