“Nuvolette” si aggirano intorno al nostro buco nero supermassiccio
Questa immagine di ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) mostra l'area circostante a Sagittario A*, il buco nero supermassiccio che si annida al centro della Via Lattea - evidenziato qui con un piccolo cerchio. Una nuova ricerca ha rivelato prove entusiasmanti di gas interstellare e polvere in orbita attorno al buco nero ad alta velocità.
Le nubi di gas ricche di idrogeno molecolare identificate da questo studio sono note come nuvolette molecolari, mai rilevate prima in modo inequivocabile. Questa immagine mostra nella realtà la distribuzione di molecole, incluso il monossido di carbonio (la seconda componente molecolare più abbondante delle nubi). Le nuvole si trovano a 26’000 anni-luce di distanza da noi, in orbita veloce e relativamente vicina al buco nero, ad una distanza di circa un anno-luce. L'alta risoluzione di ALMA ha permesso agli scienziati di rilevare le nuvolette, che sono i prodotti di enormi nubi preesistenti che ruotano attorno al centro della nostra galassia. Queste nuvole sono state disgregate in frammenti densi e una componente a densità più bassa (e con una vita breve), grazie al fenomeno di distruzione mareale. Quest'ultimo è stato identificato grazie ai segni lasciati dal passaggio della radiazione di sincrotrone emessa da Sagittario A* attraverso il gas diffuso tra le nuvolette.
Sebbene le nubi di gas molecolare abbiano il potenziale per formare nuove stelle, è improbabile che queste nuvolette creino neonati stellari. Hanno una massa relativamente piccola di circa 60 volte quella del Sole, e sono vicino alle enormi, turbolente, punitive forze gravitazionali esercitate da Sagittario A *.
Mentre le stelle in orbita attorno a Sagittario A * sono state osservate sistematicamente, queste dense nuvolette molecolari non erano mai state rilevate così vicino al centro della nostra galassia.
Crediti:ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/ J. R. Goicoechea (Instituto de Física Fundamental, CSIC, Spain)
A proposito dell'immagine
| Identificazione: | potw1843a |
| Lingua: | it |
| Tipo: | Osservazione |
| Data di pubblicazione: | Lunedì 22 Ottobre 2018 06:00 |
| Dimensione: | 806 x 892 px |
A proposito delll'oggetto
| Nome: | Sagittarius A* |
| Tipo: | Milky Way : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole |
| Distanza: | 25000 Anni luce |
| Constellation: | Sagittarius |
Formati delle immagini
Coordinate
| Position (RA): | 17 45 40.06 |
| Position (Dec): | -29° 0' 36.81" |
| Field of view: | 0.95 x 1.05 arcminutes |
| Orientazione: | Il Nord è a -0.0° a sinistra della verticale |
Colori e filtri
| Banda | Lunghezza d'onda | Telescopio |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetrico CO | 866 μm | Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 8 |
| Infrarosso Ne II | 12 μm | NASA Infrared Telescope Facility TEXES |
| Millimetrico CO | 866 μm | Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 8 |
| Infrarosso Ne II | 12 μm | NASA Infrared Telescope Facility TEXES |
| Millimetrico H13CN | 893 μm | Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 8 |
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