S301 is the closest known star to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. This visible light wide-field view shows the rich star clouds in the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer) in the direction of the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

Cosmic dust and water is withstanding radiation near the Milky Way galaxy's black hole, Saggitarius A*. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. This image features data from Webb's NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid Infrared Instrument) to capture the most detailed mid-infrared view yet of the field that hosts the highly evolved star IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way galaxy's central supermassive black hole. An international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to this supermassive black hole. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week.

Our galaxy's centre may contain an exceptional cosmic spinning top – a black hole that seems to be spinning almost as fast as possible. Michael Janssen at Radboud University in the Netherlands and his colleagues were studying the black hole at the Milky Way's centre, Sagittarius A*, using the data gathered by a network of observatories collectively known as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). To deal with the complexity of the data, they turned to artificial intelligence. First, they used well-known mathematical models to simulate about a million black holes – which was itself a computational feat that required millions of hours of supercomputer time. Then they used these simulations to train a type of AI called a neural network, enabling it to determine a black hole's traits based on observational data. Finally, they fed the AI the data about Sagittarius A* that EHT had collected throughout 2017.

There may not yet be telescopes capable of unlocking all the secrets of supermassive black holes, but AI is now on the case. Recently, an international team of astronomers successfully trained a neural network with millions of black hole simulations to allow it to interpret fuzzy data captured from these enigmatic space objects in real life. Of the various methods for investigating a black hole, the Event Horizon Telescope is the most famous. Thanks to the EHT, it's been possible to obtain images of the supermassive black holes M87 and Sagittarius A*. These are not images in the traditional sense but instead are visualizations of radio waves coming from the black holes.

From a pig heart being successfully transplanted into a human, to being able to redirect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, there have been all manner of weird and wonderful scientific discoveries in 2022. They include the human genome finally been mapped after two decades, the unearthing of Africa's oldest known dinosaur, and the release of the first ever image of a supermassive black hole at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. There was also the alarming discovery that microplastics are everywhere – including in us – and the hugely-anticipated first images from the world's most powerful space telescope James Webb, which will peer back to the dawn of the universe. Here, MailOnline looks at 10 of the most interesting advances this year. The year began with a bang scientifically when just a week into it a dying man became the first patient in the world to get a heart transplant from a genetically-modified pig.

Scientists have taken an unprecedented look at the supermassive black hole in our galaxy – and found an unknown star near to it. The new research has allowed scientists to take an estimate of the black hole's mass that is more accurate than ever before. Two studies covering the research are published today in Astronomy & Astrophysics is published today. Both include the work of Reinhard Genzel, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2020 for his work on the black hole, known as Sagittarius A*. "We want to learn more about the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*: How massive is it exactly? Do stars around it behave exactly as we expect from Einstein's general theory of relativity?" Genzel said in a statement.

The world's first footage of a black hole in motion could soon be created by the scientists behind a groundbreaking image of the phenomenon released last week. Experts using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) say they will produce a video of hot gases whirling chaotically around the shadow or'accretion disk' of the black hole. The supermassive black hole sits at the centre of the galaxy Messier 87, roughly 54 million light-years from Earth. EHT is a'virtual' telescope that uses data from observatories around the world to turn the whole of the Earth into one giant detector. Researchers believe that, as more telescopes join the EHT project, they can produce more detailed images and eventually film the black hole.

Budding astronauts can take a virtual space flight to the deepest depths of our galaxy, thanks to a stunning new interactive graphic produced by Nasa. The immersive 360 visualisation depicts the heart of the Milky Way, roughly 26,000 light years (150,000 trillion miles) away from Earth. It was created using data taken by satellites, which capture light that has managed to escape the monster black hole that lies in the middle of our spiral galaxy. Powerful winds of gas streaming from the surface of these stars are carrying some of their outer layers into interstellar space. The Galactic Centre visualisation is a 360 movie that immerses a viewer into a simulation of the centre of our galaxy.