Our Galaxy's Black Hole - Feeding Time?

[thatdude]

The supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy (known as Sagittarius A*) will soon start devouring a gas cloud (known as G2) that has been heading towards it for some time now

http://www.nature.com/news/giant-black-hole-stretc...

(BBC article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-2334... )

The gas cloud is starting to "spiral" in towards the black hole, but the proces is expected to last for many years - the following is a youtube clip showing the predicted behaviour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBo7ygrND0s

And here is a paper discussing some of the behaviour in a more technical manner

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.1374.p...

(if you can't get the paper, but would like it I can email it)


Something to keep an eye on over the next few years!

Edited by thatdude on Thursday 9th January 09:31

Edited by thatdude on Thursday 9th January 09:32

[Moonhawk]

Yep - could be interesting. Should certainly give us more info about the black hole.