Scientists have recently unveiled a captivating new image showcasing the magnetic field structure of the black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius A*. The image reveals strong, twisted, and organized magnetic fields surrounding the black hole in a mesmerizing spiral pattern.
Sagittarius A* has often been likened to a doughnut, with its swirling magnetic fields and a location approximately 27,000 light years away from Earth. Despite being invisible to the naked eye, the black hole exerts its influence on its surrounding space through the creation of an accretion disk.
Captured by the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, this groundbreaking image offers a fresh perspective on the enigmatic black hole residing at the heart of our galaxy. Researchers have drawn parallels between the magnetic field structures in the recent image of Sagittarius A* and the first-ever black hole image released in 2019, highlighting the significance of strong and orderly magnetic fields in the interactions of black holes with their environments.
While the black hole in galaxy M87, known as M87*, is larger and more potent, Sagittarius A* shares similar characteristics in its polarization structure. The findings of this study have been documented in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, with the collaboration planning to observe Sagittarius A* once again in April using a network of telescopes dispersed globally. This ongoing research promises to shed further light on the mysteries of black holes and their magnetic fields in the vast expanse of our galaxy.
