Sagittarius A*
Sagittarius A* is a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy in the constellation Sagittarius, about 26,700 light-years (8.2 kpc) from Earth.
The black hole at the heart of the Milky Way, weighed by tracking the stars that orbit it (2020 Nobel Prize in Physics) and imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope in 2022.
Facts
| Type | Supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Position (J2000) | 17h 45m 40s, −29° 00′ |
| Distance | 26,700 light-years (8.2 kpc) |
When and how to see it
Sagittarius A* is highest in the sky at midnight in June. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 41° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 11°.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Sagittarius
- Lagoon Nebula (M8)
- M18 (NGC 6613)
- M21 (NGC 6531)
- M23 (NGC 6494)
- Omega Nebula (M17)
- Sagittarius Cluster (M22)
- Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24)
- Trifid Nebula (M20)
Everything in Sagittarius · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: · Deep Sky Monitor's own notes · Data sources & credits