The Earth is closer to a super black hole than we think

New data on the Milky Way galaxy map has redefined our Solar System's location. Specifically, not only is the distance close to the galactic center and the supermassive Sagittarius A * black hole, our Solar System also travels faster in orbit.

Thanks to VERA astronomy technology, scientists have made new discoveries about the positions of the Solar System and Earth.

According to ScienceAlert, new data on the Milky Way galaxy map has redefined our Solar System's location. Specifically, not only is the distance close to the galactic center and the supermassive Sagittarius A * black hole, our Solar System also travels faster in orbit.

The Earth is closer to a super black hole than we think

The super black hole / ph: NASA

However, scientists do not view the Earth's proximity to the super black hole Srg A * as a threat. Instead, new details on the Milky Way map helped them more accurately determine the location of the Solar System as well as the Earth.

Creating a 3-dimensional galaxy map is a relatively complex job. This process has long distorted our understanding of spatial phenomena. It is much easier to map 2-dimensional coordinates, however, it is still very difficult to accurately determine distances between different spatial objects.

In astronomy, distance is an important factor, they are responsible for helping researchers determine the intrinsic brightness of an object.

Thanks to the astronomical project using VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) technology, scientists have connected a number of radio telescopes on the Japanese archipelago. After joining the data, the team created images with the resolution equivalent of a telescope up to 2,300 km in diameter. This principle of study is each line used to create a silhouette of a black hole.

VERA began to be used for observation in 2000. This technology could help scientists determine the distances to stars emitting radio waves by calculating their parallax. With staggering resolution, VERA has observed stars for more than a year and tracked how they change position relative to stars farther away.

This change of position can be used to calculate the distance between stars and Earth. With angular resolution of up to 10 millionths of an arc, VERA is expected to produce extremely highly accurate astronomical measurements.

The Earth is closer to a super black hole than we think

Astronomical measurement method based on VERA angle calculation technology. Ph: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

Based on the VERA astrophotometric catalog, which includes 99 objects, was released in early 2020, astronomers have created a map of the positions and velocities of those objects. From this map, scientists were able to determine the location of the galactic center.

In 1985, the International Astronomical Union determined the distance to the galactic center as 27,700 light years. In 2019, the GRAVITY team calculated this distance to be 26,673 light years. However, with VERA measurements, the distance of the Solar System from the galactic center is only 25,800 light years. The orbital rotation speed of the Solar System is 227 km / s, different from the previous figure of 220 km / s.

Although the parameters do not differ too much, they can still have a direct impact on how the scientific community measures and explains phenomena at the galactic center. This gives a more accurate picture of the activities surrounding the super black hole Sgr A *.