Astrophysicists have made a groundbreaking discovery of a new group of horizontal filaments radiating from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. These filaments, measuring 5 to 10 light-years in length, likely formed millions of years ago from interactions between the black hole’s outflow and surrounding material. This discovery builds on decades of research by Farhad Yusef-Zadeh and his team, who previously identified vertical filaments that extend up to 150 light-years high. The horizontal filaments are distinct, appearing as radial lines, unlike the vertical structures, which have been the focus of prior studies. Yusef-Zadeh expressed surprise at finding these new structures, which could reveal more about the black hole’s spin and the orientation of its accretion disk. This research, facilitated by enhanced radio technology such as the MeerKAT telescope, highlights the ongoing exploration of the complex dynamics in the galaxy’s nucleus. The findings point to the need for further investigation to understand the origins and mechanisms behind these filaments, emphasizing that much remains to be uncovered about the Milky Way’s central region. The work was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and received support from NASA.
