Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole in the Center of the Milky Way

Journal Article · · Astrophys.J.Lett.
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [3];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [13];  [14];  [15];  [16];  [17];  [18] more »;  [19];  [20];  [14];  [3];  [21];  [19];  [20];  [22];  [23];  [24];  [25];  [26];  [27];  [14];  [28];  [29];  [30];  [31];  [2];  [32];  [33];  [25];  [28];  [34];  [10];  [35];  [36];  [37];  [38];  [39];  [40];  [41];  [42];  [11];  [14];  [8];  [43];  [44];  [15];  [20];  [45];  [10];  [46];  [8];  [20];  [47];  [13];  [48];  [2];  [49];  [50];  [19];  [19];  [21];  [51];  [52];  [53];  [2];  [54];  [15];  [55];  [18];  [15];  [10];  [56];  [8];  [57];  [58];  [59];  [6];  [54];  [60];  [61];  [62];  [6];  [63];  [64];  [8];  [3];  [6];  [54];  [20];  [14];  [65];  [11];  [23];  [66];  [3];  [67];  [15];  [68];  [3];  [69];  [31];  [70];  [71];  [6];  [35];  [72];  [6];  [73];  [19];  [3];  [3];  [74];  [20];  [8];  [11];  [31];  [75];  [16];  [76];  [77];  [15];  [25];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [78];  [79];  [3];  [80];  [10];  [81];  [82];  [83];  [84];  [8];  [65];  [85];  [6];  [10];  [86];  [3];  [87];  [13];  [88];  [14];  [89];  [20];  [90];  [85];  [91];  [92];  [93];  [55];  [94];  [95];  [14];  [22];  [96];  [97];  [92];  [98];  [19];  [21];  [3];  [99];  [100];  [72];  [20];  [101];  [102];  [8];  [14];  [3];  [103];  [13];  [15];  [104];  [14];  [19];  [105];  [22];  [106];  [107];  [11];  [108];  [8];  [109];  [110];  [15];  [111];  [14];  [112];  [14];  [113];  [114];  [10];  [3];  [6];  [8];  [3];  [3];  [92];  [10];  [78];  [92];  [53];  [92];  [115];  [8];  [116];  [22];  [15];  [19];  [117];  [30];  [68];  [118];  [10];  [22];  [16];  [102];  [119];  [14];  [120];  [10];  [121];  [122];  [8];  [123];  [93];  [68];  [124];  [20];  [20];  [3];  [125];  [126];  [14];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [127];  [3];  [20];  [128];  [129];  [15];  [84];  [20];  [15];  [130];  [131];  [132];  [3];  [133];  [2];  [54];  [134];  [135];  [46];  [134];  [134];  [29];  [136];  [13];  [137];  [13];  [134];  [134];  [134];  [138];  [75];  [139];  [14];  [6];  [140];  [6];  [29];  [13];  [141];  [53];  [13];  [10];  [84];  [3];  [134];  [42];  [142];  [16];  [143];  [60];  [144];  [134];  [3];  [19];  [42];  [6];  [140];  [145];  [60];  [134];  [134];  [3];  [146];  [13];  [15];  [147];  [6];  [6];  [140];  [92];  [145];  [134];  [29];  [13];  [98];  [46];  [148];  [149];  [6];  [6];  [58];  [150];  [140];  [134];  [6];  [13];  [15];  [134];  [68];  [53];  [134];  [151];  [152];  [3];  [6];  [15];  [29];  [145];  [134];  [29];  [153];  [134];  [154];  [10];  [6];  [155];  [29];  [156];  [134];  [157];  [158];  [53];  [159];  [134];  [6];  [15];  [13];  [29];  [10];  [15];  [13];  [15];  [15];  [134];  [134];  [13];  [6];  [160];  [3];  [84];  [13];  [6]; ;  [15];  [161] « less
  1. MIT; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  2. Granada U., Theor. Phys. Astrophys.
  3. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  4. Malaya U.
  5. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Texas U., San Antonio
  6. Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  7. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Valencia U., Astro. Astrophys.; Valencia U., IFIC
  8. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.
  9. Yale Ctr. Astron. Astrophys.
  10. MIT
  11. Illinois U., Urbana
  12. Fermilab; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.
  13. Subaru Telescope
  14. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  15. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
  16. Caltech
  17. Gemini Observ., Hilo; Hawaii U.
  18. McGill U.
  19. IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres
  20. Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  21. Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC
  22. Massachusetts U., Amherst
  23. KASI, DaeJeon; KAIST, Taejon
  24. Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U., KICP; Chicago U.; Chicago U., EFI
  25. Chalmers U. Tech.
  26. Princeton U., PCTS; Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.
  27. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Arizona U.
  28. Cornell U., Radio. Space Res. Ctr.
  29. Gemini Observ., Hilo
  30. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Nanjing U. Sci. Tech.
  31. KASI, DaeJeon
  32. Fairfield U.
  33. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.
  34. Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U., KICP
  35. Frankfurt U.
  36. Tsung-Dao Lee Inst., Shanghai; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.
  37. Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Columbia U., Astron. Astrophys.; CCA, New York
  38. Frankfurt U.; Naples U.; INFN, Naples
  39. U. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sch. Phys.; Pretoria U.; Rhodes U.
  40. Subaru Telescope; ASTRON, Dwingeloo
  41. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; LESIA, Meudon
  42. Colorado U.
  43. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres
  44. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; NAOC, Beijing
  45. Las Cumbres Observ.; UC, Santa Barbara
  46. NRAO, Charlottesville
  47. MIT; Google Inc.
  48. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Frankfurt U.; Wurzburg U.
  49. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Harvard U.; Harvard U., Phys. Dept.
  50. Illinois U., Urbana; Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.
  51. Cagliari U.; Cagliari Observ.
  52. Frankfurt U.; Southern Denmark U., CP3-Origins
  53. INAOE, Puebla; Conacyt, Mexico
  54. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.
  55. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.
  56. Groningen U.
  57. Peking U.; Peking U., Beijing, KIAA
  58. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Subaru Telescope
  59. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.; Tokyo U.
  60. INAOE, Puebla
  61. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo, Inst. Statistical Math.; Tokyo U., IPMU
  62. NRAO, Charlottesville; Leiden Observ.
  63. Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.
  64. Unlisted, US, MA
  65. Boston U.
  66. Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Waterloo U.
  67. Tokyo U., ICRR
  68. ASTRON, Dwingeloo
  69. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; KASI, DaeJeon; Kyungpook Natl. U.
  70. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Caltech
  71. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Kogakuin U.
  72. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo U.
  73. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Niigata U.
  74. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Normal U.; Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.
  75. Hong Kong, Chinese U.
  76. Nanjing U., Dept. Astron.
  77. Granada U., Theor. Phys. Astrophys.; Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia
  78. Bologna Observ.
  79. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.
  80. UNAM, Morelia, Inst. Radioastron. Astrophys.; UNAM, Inst. Astron.
  81. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Nanjing U. Sci. Tech.
  82. Yunnan Observ.; NAOC, Beijing
  83. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Bologna Observ.
  84. U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA
  85. Valencia U., Astro. Astrophys.; Valencia U., IFIC
  86. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Naval Research Lab, Wash., D.C.; Cornell U., Radio. Space Res. Ctr.; Princeton, Inst. Advanced Study
  87. Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; ESTEC, Noordwijk
  88. Frankfurt U.; Tsung-Dao Lee Inst., Shanghai; Shanghai Jiaotong U.
  89. MIT; Frankfurt U.; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan
  90. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  91. Nijmegen U., IMAPP; U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA
  92. IRAM, Granada
  93. Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.
  94. Concepcion U.
  95. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Hachinohe Inst. Tech.
  96. U. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sch. Phys.; South African Astron. Observ.
  97. Frankfurt U.; Athens U.
  98. Villanova U.
  99. Washington U., St. Louis
  100. Sejong U.
  101. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; UNAM, Inst. Astron.
  102. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan
  103. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.
  104. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Toronto U., Astron. Dept.; Canadian Inst. Advanced Res.
  105. UC, Berkeley
  106. Frankfurt U.; U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA
  107. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; University Coll., Cork
  108. Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.
  109. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Normal U.
  110. Concepcion U.; Turku U.; Aalto U.
  111. Subaru Telescope; Gemini Observ., Hilo
  112. Frankfurt U.; Frankfurt U., FIAS; Trinity Coll., Dublin
  113. CCA, New York; Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept.
  114. Harvard U. (main); Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP
  115. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Tokyo Inst. Tech.; Hiroshima U.
  116. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Aalto U.
  117. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Peking U., Beijing, KIAA
  118. KASI, DaeJeon; KAIST, Taejon; Yonsei U.
  119. Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.; Texas Tech. U., Lubbock
  120. Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Leiden Observ.; NWO, The Hague
  121. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; IRAM, Granada
  122. Granada U., Theor. Phys. Astrophys.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.
  123. Seoul Natl. U.
  124. Leiden Observ.; ASTRON, Dwingeloo; New Mexico U.
  125. Central Lancashire U.
  126. Brandeis U.
  127. Tuorla Observ.
  128. Princeton, Inst. Advanced Study; Princeton U.
  129. Hua-Zhong U. Sci. Tech.
  130. Frankfurt U.; Mullard Space Sci. Lab.
  131. Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; Beijing, GUCAS
  132. Hefei, CUST
  133. Bard Coll.
  134. European Southern Obs., Chile
  135. Vermont U.
  136. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Bonn U.
  137. NRAO, Socorro
  138. Conacyt, Mexico; Kapteyn Astron. Inst., Groningen
  139. Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Taiwan, Natl. Chiao Tung U.
  140. Taiwan, Natl. Chiao Tung U.
  141. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; European Southern Obs., Chile
  142. Western Ontario U.
  143. Drexel U.
  144. Netherlands Meteorological Inst.
  145. Osaka Prefecture U.
  146. Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; European Southern Obs., Chile
  147. Arizona U.
  148. Jodrell Bank; European Southern Observ.
  149. Chicago U., KICP
  150. Taiwan, Natl. Cheng Kung U.
  151. Subaru Telescope; NASA, Ames
  152. Conacyt, Mexico
  153. Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; European Southern Obs., Chile; Chile U., Catolica
  154. European Southern Observ.
  155. Harvard U.
  156. Fermilab; Chicago U., KICP
  157. Santa Barbara, KITP
  158. U. Michigan, Dept. Astron.
  159. NRAO, Charlottesville; European Southern Obs., Chile
  160. Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept.
  161. INAOE, Puebla; Americas U., Puebla
+ Show Author Affiliations
We present the first Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the Galactic center source associated with a supermassive black hole. These observations were conducted in 2017 using a global interferometric array of eight telescopes operating at a wavelength of λ = 1.3 mm. The EHT data resolve a compact emission region with intrahour variability. A variety of imaging and modeling analyses all support an image that is dominated by a bright, thick ring with a diameter of 51.8 ± 2.3 μas (68% credible interval). The ring has modest azimuthal brightness asymmetry and a comparatively dim interior. Using a large suite of numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the EHT images of Sgr A* are consistent with the expected appearance of a Kerr black hole with mass ∼4 × 10$$^{6}$$ M $$_{⊙}$$, which is inferred to exist at this location based on previous infrared observations of individual stellar orbits, as well as maser proper-motion studies. Our model comparisons disfavor scenarios where the black hole is viewed at high inclination (i > 50°), as well as nonspinning black holes and those with retrograde accretion disks. Our results provide direct evidence for the presence of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and for the first time we connect the predictions from dynamical measurements of stellar orbits on scales of 10$$^{3}$$–10$$^{5}$$ gravitational radii to event-horizon-scale images and variability. Furthermore, a comparison with the EHT results for the supermassive black hole M87* shows consistency with the predictions of general relativity spanning over three orders of magnitude in central mass.
Research Organization:
ASTRON, Dwingeloo; Aalto U.; Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Americas U., Puebla; Arizona U.; Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ.; Athens U.; Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.; Bard Coll.; Beijing, GUCAS; Bologna Observ.; Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia; Bonn U.; Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Boston U.; Brandeis U.; CCA, New York; Cagliari Observ.; Cagliari U.; Caltech; Canadian Inst. Advanced Res.; Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Central Lancashire U.; Chalmers U. Tech.; Chicago U.; Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Chicago U., EFI; Chicago U., KICP; Chile U., Catolica; Colorado U.; Columbia U., Astron. Astrophys.; Conacyt, Mexico; Concepcion U.; Cornell U., Radio. Space Res. Ctr.; Drexel U.; ESTEC, Noordwijk; European Southern Obs., Chile; European Southern Observ.; Fairfield U.; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Frankfurt U.; Frankfurt U., FIAS; Gemini Observ., Hilo; Google Inc.; Granada U., Theor. Phys. Astrophys.; Groningen U.; Hachinohe Inst. Tech.; Harvard U.; Harvard U. (main); Harvard U., Phys. Dept.; Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.; Hawaii U.; Hefei, CUST; Hiroshima U.; Hong Kong, Chinese U.; Hua-Zhong U. Sci. Tech.; INAOE, Puebla; INFN, Naples; IRAM, Granada; IRAM, St. Martin d'Heres; Illinois U., Urbana; Illinois U., Urbana, Astron. Dept.; Jodrell Bank; KAIST, Taejon; KASI, DaeJeon; Kapteyn Astron. Inst., Groningen; Kogakuin U.; Kyungpook Natl. U.; LESIA, Meudon; Las Cumbres Observ.; Leiden Observ.; MIT; Malaya U.; Massachusetts U., Amherst; McGill U.; Mullard Space Sci. Lab.; NAOC, Beijing; NASA, Ames; NRAO, Charlottesville; NRAO, Socorro; NWO, The Hague; Nanjing U. Sci. Tech.; Nanjing U., Dept. Astron.; Naples U.; Natl. Astron. Observ. of Japan; Naval Research Lab, Wash., D.C.; Netherlands Meteorological Inst.; New Mexico U.; Niigata U.; Nijmegen U., IMAPP; Osaka Prefecture U.; Peking U.; Peking U., Beijing, KIAA; Perimeter Inst. Theor. Phys.; Pretoria U.; Princeton U.; Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept.; Princeton U., PCTS; Princeton, Inst. Advanced Study; Rhodes U.; Santa Barbara, KITP; Sejong U.; Seoul Natl. U.; Shanghai Jiaotong U.; Shanghai, Astron. Observ.; South African Astron. Observ.; Southern Denmark U., CP3-Origins; Subaru Telescope; Taiwan, Natl. Cheng Kung U.; Taiwan, Natl. Chiao Tung U.; Taiwan, Natl. Normal U.; Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.; Texas Tech. U., Lubbock; Texas U., San Antonio; Tokyo Inst. Tech.; Tokyo U.; Tokyo U., ICRR; Tokyo U., IPMU; Tokyo, Grad. U. Adv. Stud.; Tokyo, Inst. Statistical Math.; Toronto U., Astron. Dept.; Trinity Coll., Dublin; Tsung-Dao Lee Inst., Shanghai; Tuorla Observ.; Turku U.; U. Amsterdam, GRAPPA; U. Michigan, Dept. Astron.; U. Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sch. Phys.; UC, Berkeley; UC, Santa Barbara; UNAM, Inst. Astron.; UNAM, Morelia, Inst. Radioastron. Astrophys.; University Coll., Cork; Unlisted, US, MA; Valencia U., Astro. Astrophys.; Valencia U., IFIC; Vermont U.; Villanova U.; Washington U., St. Louis; Waterloo U.; Waterloo U., IQC; Western Ontario U.; Wurzburg U.; Yale Ctr. Astron. Astrophys.; Yonsei U.; Yunnan Observ.
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
1868453
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-22-415-PPD; oai:inspirehep.net:2080889; arXiv:2311.08680
Journal Information:
Astrophys.J.Lett., Journal Name: Astrophys.J.Lett. Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 930
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. VII. Polarization of the Ring
Journal Article · Tue Mar 26 20:00:00 EDT 2024 · Astrophys.J.Lett. · OSTI ID:2468663
IMAGING AN EVENT HORIZON: MITIGATION OF SOURCE VARIABILITY OF SAGITTARIUS A*
Journal Article · Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 2016 · Astrophysical Journal · OSTI ID:22521550
Imaging the supermassive black hole shadow and jet base of M87 with the event horizon telescope
Journal Article · Fri Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal · OSTI ID:22356615

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS