Unveiling Our Galaxy’s Black Hole
Yesterday, scientists at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, in collaboration with hundreds of scientists across the world, unveiled the first picture of the black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
This extraordinary endeavor began more than a decade ago when Smithsonian astrophysicist Sheperd Doeleman founded the Event Horizon Telescope, a planet-spanning telescope capable of capturing the invisible.
In 2019, the Smithsonian was honored to be associated with the release of the first-ever image of a black hole, which paved the way to today’s announcement.
These discoveries open up new possibilities for the study of black holes and our understanding of the cosmos.
I want to congratulate the many individuals at SAO who have contributed to this exciting development. I would also like to mention that our Smithsonian facility in Hawaii, the Submillimeter Array, was instrumental in making these first images of black holes.
If you would like further information about this extraordinary result, I encourage you to view the discussion moderated by Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science and Research, featuring SAO scientists who contributed to this achievement. A recording of yesterday’s live stream is available on Torch here and on SAO’s YouTube page
I think I speak for us all when I say that I am proud to be a part of the Smithsonian every day, but especially on momentous days like yesterday.
I look forward to our next great discovery.
Posted: 13 May 2022
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Categories:
Astrophysical Observatory , From the Secretary , News & Announcements , Science and Nature