That is the supermassive black gap on the centre of our galaxy as we’ve by no means seen it earlier than. The picture reveals the swirling magnetic fields round Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) and hints that it could be producing a jet of high-energy materials, which astronomers have but to see.

The image was taken by a community of observatories around the globe working as a single, large telescope, known as the Occasion Horizon Telescope (EHT). In 2022, it produced the primary picture of Sgr A*, revealing gentle coming from whirling sizzling plasma set in opposition to the darkish background of the black gap’s occasion horizon, the place gentle can’t escape its excessive gravity.

Now, EHT researcher Ziri Younsi at College School London and his colleagues have measured how this gentle is polarised, or the orientation of its electromagnetic discipline, displaying the route and energy of the magnetic discipline round Sgr A*.

The picture is remarkably much like the magnetic discipline of M87*, the primary black gap EHT studied. On condition that M87* is round 1500 instances extra large than Sgr A*, it means that supermassive black holes could have comparable constructions no matter their measurement, says Younsi.

One main distinction between M87* and our galaxy’s black gap is the dearth of seen high-energy jets seen from Sgr A*. This absence has lengthy puzzled astronomers, however the truth that Sgr A* has a magnetic discipline like M87* means that there could possibly be jets in our galaxy’s black gap, too.

“There’s this actually thrilling trace that there could also be some further construction,” says Younsi. “There may be one thing occurring that’s fairly thrilling within the centre of the galaxy, and I feel that these outcomes we’re going to wish to observe up.”

This could make sense given different items of proof we see for a jet which will have existed way back in our galaxy’s historical past, such because the Fermi bubbles, giant spheres of X-ray-producing plasma above and beneath the Milky Approach.

In addition to revealing a possible hidden jet, the magnetic discipline’s properties might assist clear up different astrophysical mysteries, akin to how particles like cosmic rays and neutrinos are accelerated to extraordinarily excessive energies, says Younsi. “The magnetic fields are the bedrock of all of this. Something which supplies us extra perception into how black holes and magnetic fields work together is simply foundationally vital for astrophysics.”

Younsi and his colleagues hope to take extra photos of Sgr A* with a bigger community of telescopes and extra superior gear, which can enhance their understanding of the character of the magnetic discipline and the way it may be producing jets. The EHT will start these observations in April, though the info is prone to take a number of years to course of.

Having the ability to see the magnetic discipline of a supermassive black gap in such element is extremely uncommon, says Christine Done at Durham College, UK. “Magnetic fields are a kind of issues in astrophysics, sort of like saying the tooth fairy arrived.” As for the similarities between M87* and Sag A*, it could be that each of them in larger element might reveal variations that aren’t so obvious on the decision we will see them at now, she says.

References: The Astrophysical Journal Letters, DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad2df0 & DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad2df1