A recent discovery by the XRISM spacecraft has revealed that Sagittarius A (Sgr A), the supermassive black hole at our galaxy’s center, has been erupting with powerful flares over the past millennium. This finding challenges the previous assumption of Sgr A* as a "sleeping giant" and could reshape our understanding of the role supermassive black holes play in galaxy evolution.
Astronomers, including Stephen DeKirby from Michigan State University, were surprised by this revelation. They studied a large molecular cloud near the galactic center, which acted as a cosmic mirror reflecting X-rays emitted by Sgr A*. Utilizing XRISM’s advanced sensitivity, the team precisely measured X-ray radiation, dismissing cosmic rays as the source of the cloud’s X-ray glow.
This groundbreaking research highlights XRISM’s capability to explore the universe in unprecedented detail, furthering our comprehension of cosmic phenomena. The findings are set to be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
