Milky Way’s Core May Not Be a Black Hole, Dark Matter Study Suggests
What if the Milky Way’s center holds no black hole? A new study proposes a shocking idea. The massive object there might be dark matter instead. Scientists have long believed a supermassive black hole sits at our galaxy’s heart. They called it Sagittarius A*. However, new research challenges this view completely.
Dark Matter Alternative
An international team published their findings in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. They suggest something entirely different orbits at the galactic center.Dark matter might form an ultra-dense core there. This core would create gravity just like a black hole. Therefore, it could explain everything astronomers observe.Dark matter remains invisible to our instruments. However, its gravitational effects are very real. It shapes how galaxies form and move through space.The team proposes a specific type of dark matter. It consists of light particles called fermions. These particles could organize into a dense central region.This compact core would replicate a black hole’s pull. It explains the wild orbits of nearby stars perfectly. Those stars swing around at thousands of kilometers per second.
Evidence from Two Directions
The model connects two different sets of observations. Close to the center, stars move at extreme speeds. Farther out, the galaxy rotates more slowly.Recent data from the GAIA mission supports this idea. GAIA mapped the Milky Way’s rotation curve in detail. It shows orbital speeds decreasing at greater distances.This pattern matches the dark matter model’s predictions. The model includes a dense core and a diffuse outer halo. Together, they create the exact gravitational effects we measure.”We are not just replacing the black hole,” says Dr. Carlos Argüelles. “The central object and dark matter halo are one continuous substance.”The model passed another important test recently. A previous study showed these dark matter cores cast shadows. When illuminated, they create a dark center with a bright ring.This matches the famous Event Horizon Telescope image exactly. That image showed what scientists thought was a black hole shadow. However, dark matter could create the same picture.”This is a pivotal point,” explains lead author Valentina Crespi. “Our model explains star orbits, galaxy rotation, and the shadow image.”
What Comes Next
Current data cannot yet decide between the two ideas. Both models explain observations equally well. However, future instruments may settle the debate.The GRAVITY instrument on the Very Large Telescope will help. It can make more precise measurements of the galactic center. Scientists will look for photon rings too.Photon rings are key features of real black holes. They should appear if a black hole truly exists there. Dark matter cores would not produce these rings.The outcome could reshape our understanding completely. The heart of our galaxy might hold something stranger than anyone imagined.
