IMBH candidate in Omega Centauri

An international team of astronomers has used more than 500 images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope spanning two decades to detect seven fast-moving stars in the innermost region of Omega Centauri, the largest and brightest globular cluster in the sky. These stars provide compelling new evidence for the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH).

This image shows the location of the IMBH in Omega Centauri. If confirmed, at its distance of 17 700 light-years the candidate black hole resides closer to Earth than the 4.3 million solar mass black hole in the centre of the Milky Way, which is 26 000 light-years away. Besides the Galactic centre, it would also be the only known case of a number of stars closely bound to a massive black hole.

[Image Description: This image presents three panels. The first image shows the global cluster Omega Centauri, appearing as a highly dense and numerous collection of shining stars. The second image shows the details of the central region of this cluster, with a closer view of the individual stars. The third image shows the location of the IMBH candidate in the cluster.]

Credit:

ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Häberle (MPIA)

About the Image

Id:heic2409b
Type:Chart
Release date:10 July 2024, 17:00
Related releases:heic2409
Size:6648 x 2260 px

About the Object

Name:Omega Centauri
Distance:17000 light years
Category:Stars

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Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Ultraviolet
UV
275 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
U
336 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
B
438 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
r
625 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
V
625 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
V
625 nm Hubble Space Telescope
ACS
Optical
N II
658 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
I
814 nm Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3
Optical
I
814 nm Hubble Space Telescope
ACS
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