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Earth is 2,000 light-years closer to a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy than previously thought
- The Japanese space agency has created a new map of the Milky Way
- The team has been collecting data over the past 15 years, revealing new insights
- Earth is only 25,800 light-years from a supermassive black hole
- An earlier analysis from 1985 suggested it was 27,700 light years away
- The team also found that the Earth is moving 141 miles per second faster in orbit
Earth is closer to a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way than it previously believed, new data reveals.
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) found that our planet is 2,000 light years closer to Sagittarius A.
Initial analysis predicted that Earth was initially 27,700 light years away, but only 25,800 light years away.
In addition to being closer to the black hole, the new data shows Earth orbits the Milky Way’s Galactic Center 141 miles per second faster.
While the findings may spark fear around the world, the findings are due to new observation data that have created a better model of our galaxy.
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) found that our planet is 2,000 light-years closer to Sagittarius A. Initial analysis predicted that Earth was initially 27,700 light-years away, but is now only 25,800 light-years away. Pictured is a new map of the location and velocity of the Milky Way
The first projection was acquired in 1985 by the International Astronomical Union, but the Japanese radio astronomy project VERA has been probing distance and speed for 15 years to create an updated model.
VERA includes radio telescopes throughout Japan, which allow astronomers to collect data similar to that of a 1,430-diameter parabolic antenna.
It was launched in 2000 with the task of calculating the distance to radio-emitting stars by analyzing their parallax.
“Since the Earth is inside the Milky Way, we can’t step back and see what the Galaxy looks like from the outside,” NAOJ shared in a statement.
The team calculated the center of the Galaxy, the point around which everything revolves, to start the map. Once completed, they were able to determine the center of the galaxy, which is home to Sagittarius A, is 25,800 light-years from Earth.
“Astrometry, accurate measurement of the positions and movements of objects, is a fundamental tool for understanding the overall structure of the galaxy and our place in it.
“This year, the first VERA astrometric catalog was released containing data for 99 objects. ‘
Based on the VERA Astrometry Catalog and recent observations by other groups, the astronomers constructed a map of position and velocity.
The team calculated the center of the Galaxy, the point around which everything revolves, to start the map.
Once completed, they were able to determine the center of the galaxy, which is home to Sagittarius A, is 25,800 light-years from Earth.
The speed component of the map indicates that the Earth is traveling at 141 miles per second as it orbits the Galactic Center.
This is faster than the previous value of 136 miles per hour.
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