First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole in the Center of the Milky Way
Kazunori AkiyamaBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAA. AlberdiInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainW. AlefMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyJuan Carlos AlgabaDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaRichard AnantuaBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAKeiichi AsadaInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, AS/NTU No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.CRebecca AzulayDepartament d’Astronomia i Astrofísica, Universitat de València, C. Dr. Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, València, SpainU. BachMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyAnne-Kathrin BaczkoMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyDavid BallSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USAMislav BalokovićYale Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Yale University, 52 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USAJ. BarrettMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, 99 Millstone Road, Westford, MA 01886, USAMichi BauböckDepartment of Physics, University of Illinois, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USAB. A. BensonDepartment of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USADan BintleyEast Asian Observatory, 660 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USALindy BlackburnBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAR. BlundellCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAKatherine L. BoumanCalifornia Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAGeoffrey C. BowerDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2505 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAHope BoyceDepartment of Physics, McGill University, 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, CanadaMichael BremerInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères, FranceChristiaan D. BrinkerinkDepartment of Astrophysics, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The NetherlandsRoger BrissendenBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAS. BritzenMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyAvery E. BroderickDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaDominique BroguièreInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères, FranceThomas BronzwaerDepartment of Astrophysics, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The NetherlandsSandra BustamanteDepartment of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USADo‐Young ByunKorea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daedeok-daero 776, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055, Republic of KoreaJ. E. CarlstromDepartment of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USAChiara CeccobelloDepartment of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-43992 Onsala, SwedenAndrew ChaelNASA Hubble Fellowship Program, Einstein FellowChi‐kwan ChanData Science Institute, University of Arizona, 1230 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USAKoushik ChatterjeeBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAShami ChatterjeeCornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAMing‐Tang ChenInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 645 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USAYongjun ChenXiaopeng ChengKorea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daedeok-daero 776, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055, Republic of KoreaIlje ChoInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainPierre ChristianPhysics Department, Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824, USANicholas S. ConroyCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAJ. E. ConwayDepartment of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-43992 Onsala, SwedenJ. M. CordesCornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAT. M. CrawfordDepartment of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USAG. CrewMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, 99 Millstone Road, Westford, MA 01886, USAAlejandro Cruz-OsorioInstitut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, GermanyYuzhu CuiInstitut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, GermanyJordy DavelaarCenter for Computational Astrophysics, Flatiron Institute, 162 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USAMariafelicia De LaurentisDipartimento di Fisica “E. Pancini,” Universitá di Napoli “Federico II,” Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Edificio G, Via Cinthia, I-80126, Napoli, ItalyRoger DeaneCentre for Radio Astronomy Techniques and Technologies, Department of Physics and Electronics, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6140, South AfricaJessica DempseyASTRON, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo, The NetherlandsG. DesvignesLESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, FranceJason DexterJILA and Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USAVedant DhruvDepartment of Physics, University of Illinois, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USASheperd S. DoelemanBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USASean DougalSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USASergio A. DzibInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères, FranceRalph P. EatoughMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyRazieh EmamiCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAH. FalckeDepartment of Astrophysics, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The NetherlandsJoseph FarahDepartment of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9530, USAVincent L. FishMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, 99 Millstone Road, Westford, MA 01886, USAEd FomalontNational Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USAH. Alyson FordSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USARaquel Fraga-EncinasDepartment of Astrophysics, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The NetherlandsWilliam T. FreemanDepartment of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 32-D476, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02142, USAPer FribergEast Asian Observatory, 660 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USAChristian M. FrommInstitut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Str. 31, D-97074 Würzburg, GermanyAntonio FuentesInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainPeter GalisonBlack Hole Initiative at Harvard University, 20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USACharles F. GammieDepartment of Astronomy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USARoberto GarcíaInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères, FranceOlivier GentazInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères, FranceBoris GeorgievDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaC. GoddiDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, SP Monserrato-Sestu km 0.7, I-09042 Monserrato, ItalyRoman GoldCP3-Origins, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, DenmarkArturo I. Gómez-RuizConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologìa, Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, 03940, Ciudad de México, MÉxicoJosé L. GómezInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainMinfeng GuInstituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, E-18008 Granada, SpainMark GurwellCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAKazuhiro HadaDepartment of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanDaryl HaggardDepartment of Physics, McGill University, 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, CanadaKari HaworthCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAM. H. HechtMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, 99 Millstone Road, Westford, MA 01886, USARonald HesperNOVA Sub-mm Instrumentation Group, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Landleven 12, 9747 AD Groningen, The NetherlandsDirk HeumannSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USALuis C. HoSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USAPaul T. P. HoEast Asian Observatory, 660 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMareki HonmaDepartment of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanChih-Wei L. HuangInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, AS/NTU No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.CLei 磊 Huang 黄Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, AS/NTU No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.CD. H. HughesInstituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica. Apartado Postal 51 y 216, 72000. Puebla Pue., MÉxicoShiro IkedaDepartment of Statistical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), 10-3 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8562, JapanC. M. Violette ImpellizzeriLeiden Observatory, Leiden University, Postbus 2300, 9513 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsMakoto InoueInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, AS/NTU No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.CSara IssaounCenter for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAD. J. JamesASTRAVEO LLC, PO Box 1668, Gloucester, MA 01931, USABuell T. JannuziSteward Observatory and Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721, USAMichaël JanssenMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyBritton JeterInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, AS/NTU No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
2022en
ABI
Abstract
Abstract We present the first Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the Galactic center source associated with a supermassive black hole. These observations were conducted in 2017 using a global interferometric array of eight telescopes operating at a wavelength of λ = 1.3 mm. The EHT data resolve a compact emission region with intrahour variability. A variety of imaging and modeling analyses all support an image that is dominated by a bright, thick ring with a diameter of 51.8 ± 2.3 μ as (68% credible interval). The ring has modest azimuthal brightness asymmetry and a comparatively dim interior. Using a large suite of numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the EHT images of Sgr A* are consistent with the expected appearance of a Kerr black hole with mass ∼4 × 10 6 M ⊙ , which is inferred to exist at this location based on previous infrared observations of individual stellar orbits, as well as maser proper-motion studies. Our model comparisons disfavor scenarios where the black hole is viewed at high inclination ( i > 50°), as well as nonspinning black holes and those with retrograde accretion disks. Our results provide direct evidence for the presence of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and for the first time we connect the predictions from dynamical measurements of stellar orbits on scales of 10 3 –10 5 gravitational radii to event-horizon-scale images and variability. Furthermore, a comparison with the EHT results for the supermassive black hole M87* shows consistency with the predictions of general relativity spanning over three orders of magnitude in central mass.
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