Chapter 1
The invisible anchor at the center
Chapter 2
Taking the first picture of a monster
Chapter 3
Extreme physics in the danger zone
Chapter 4
The past and future of our black hole
YOUR GOAL
Master of Discovering Sagittarius A*
Ch 4 · The past and future of our black hole
artiteacher Milky Way's Central Black Hole
Deep in our galaxy's heart, oh yeah! / A black hole keeps us all near! / Four million suns it weighs, it's true! / No light can escape its view!
artiteacher In about four billion years, our galaxy will collide with Andromeda, merging our black holes.
artiteacher Scientists have detected light echoes reflecting off nearby gas clouds from a brief awakening 200 years ago.
BETA
artiteacher Drag stars into orbit to discover how Sagittarius A* rules our galaxy's heart.
Fun Fact
Fermi Bubbles: The towering Fermi Bubbles are so large they span about half of the visible night sky from Earth, though they are invisible to our eyes.
Quiz
How long ago did the colossal feeding frenzy that created the Fermi Bubbles occur?
Quiz
How much brighter did Sagittarius A* shine during its brief awakening 200 years ago?
Quiz
Which NASA satellite detected the 200-year-old light echo from Sagittarius A* in 2023?
Quiz
With which neighboring galaxy is the Milky Way on track to collide in four billion years?
Quiz
What are the giant gamma-ray structures extending above and below our galaxy called?
Quiz
What will eventually happen to Sagittarius A* and Andromeda's black hole after the galaxies collide?