Recreation black hole in the center of the Milky Way. | ESA - The Mundo.es

In the center of the Milky Way, at a distance of 26,000 light-years Solar System , a supermassive black hole with a mass four million times that of our Sun generates enormous gravitational field can not escape not even light. An international team of European Space Agency (ESA), led by a Spanish, has discovered the presence of molecular gas hot heading this black hole , located in a region known as Sagittarius A * (or Sgr A *).

Thanks to Herschel Space Observatory and ESA infrared wavelengths far , which penetrate the ‘dust’ that blurs vision in visible wavelengths, scientists have discovered simple molecules around the black hole . Including carbon monoxide, water vapor and hydrogen cyanide . Thanks to this discovery is closer to proving the fundamental properties of the interstellar gas surrounding a black hole.

“Herschel resolved far-infrared emission located just a light year of the black hole, making possible for the first time at these wavelengths, which can separate the emission from the central cavity from which it comes the dense molecular disk surrounding “says Javier Goicoechea, a researcher belonging to the group and CSIC AstroMadrid co-author of the paper published in the journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.

But the discovery of these simple molecules is not surprising as discovered by scientists. The biggest surprise was the realization that molecular gas in the inner region of the galaxy can reach a temperature of 1000 ° C .

“The observations are also consistent with hot gas streams moving at full speed towards Sgr A *, falling toward the center of the galaxy,” says Goicoechea. “ Black hole in our galaxy should be cooking your dinner right before the eyes of Herschel”.

When a black hole absorbing material, it reaches high temperatures and produces high energy X-rays. Although currently SgrA * shows little sign of this kind of activity, this may change soon. Is estimated that by the end of the year this supermassive black hole absorbs a compact cloud mass that is getting closer to its orbit.

“The center of the Milky Way is a complex region, but Herschel observations have taken a big step forward in our understanding of the vicinity of a supermassive black hole, which will propel us ultimately, a improve our understanding of the evolution of the Galaxy “concluded Göran Pilbratt, science investigator Herschel project.