Astronomers report the discovery of the fastest known star in the Milky Way, designated S301, moving in a tight orbit around the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole. Observations using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) show the star reaches speeds of about 25,000 km/s, passing very close to the black hole.
The black hole at the galaxy’s center has an estimated mass of around four million Suns, and S301 completes an orbit that brings it closer than any previously observed star. In this region, the star is influenced not only by the black hole’s gravity but also by its rotation, which offers a new test of black hole spin. One report describes S301 as roughly 50% more massive than the Sun and about five times brighter, providing context for the star’s properties as it moves.
Across outlets, the main points are consistent: the star’s name (S301), its extreme orbital speed, the use of VLTI observations, and its close approach that enables study of the black hole’s spin.
