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Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole hidden within our galaxy, the Milky Way. The newly named Gaia BH3 is a stellar black hole. It was formed by the collapse of a massive star, and it is 33 times the mass of our Sun.
Gaia BH3
Gaia BH3, located 2,000 light-years away, is the closest black hole of its size ever found in our galaxy. It is the second most massive black hole overall, with the top spot belonging to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*.
Scientists believe that Gaia BH3 may be the first of many similar black holes hidden within the galaxy. The discovery was made by the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission and involved researchers from UCL. Gaia-BH3 itself was invisible, but its presence was revealed by the movements of its companion star.
Future Findings
The next release of data from Gaia, expected by the end of 2025, is anticipated to uncover more of these hidden black holes, helping us understand their formation and prevalence in our galaxy.
