This black hole is now the closest known massive black hole to Earth, located about 17,700 light-years away.
The finding provides strong support for the existence of intermediate-mass black holes, which have long been theorized as a missing link in black hole evolution.
Intermediate-mass black holes bridge the gap between stellar-mass black holes, formed by the collapse of massive stars, and supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies.
This merger process likely halted the growth of the central black hole, leaving it in an intermediate state.
Understanding intermediate-mass black holes is crucial for unraveling the formation and growth of supermassive black holes, as well as the early stages of galaxy evolution.
Image: Unsplash
Astronomers have discovered compelling evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole at the center of Omega Centauri, a dense star cluster believed to be the remnant core of a small galaxy absorbed by the Milky Way billions of years ago. This discovery was made using over 500 images from the Hubble Space Telescope, taken over two decades, which revealed seven fast-moving stars in the cluster's innermost region. These stars' unusual velocities suggest the presence of a massive central object, estimated to be at least 8,200 times the mass of the Sun.
This black hole is now the closest known massive black hole to Earth, located about 17,700 light-years away. It is even closer than the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. The finding provides strong support for the existence of intermediate-mass black holes, which have long been theorized as a missing link in black hole evolution. Intermediate-mass black holes bridge the gap between stellar-mass black holes, formed by the collapse of massive stars, and supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies.
The discovery also reinforces the theory that Omega Centauri is not a typical globular cluster but rather the stripped core of a dwarf galaxy captured by the Milky Way. This merger process likely halted the growth of the central black hole, leaving it in an intermediate state.
Understanding intermediate-mass black holes is crucial for unraveling the formation and growth of supermassive black holes, as well as the early stages of galaxy evolution. This discovery opens new avenues for exploring these processes. Researchers plan to conduct further observations using advanced telescopes to study the black hole and its environment in greater detail, aiming to gain more insights into the role these black holes play in cosmic evolution. This breakthrough marks a significant step forward in our understanding of black hole formation and galaxy dynamics.
