Recent data from Japan’s VERA project reveals that Earth is moving 7 km/s faster and is 2,000 light-years closer to the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, than previously estimated. The updated findings come from over 15 years of precise measurements, helping scientists redraw the galaxy’s map and gain a clearer picture of Earth’s location in space. VERA’s observations, made using high-resolution interferometry, will continue to refine our understanding of the Milky Way’s structure and the cosmic forces that influence Earth’s orbit.
If
you thought things on Earth weren’t going great already, there’s more: our
planet is actually much closer to the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s
core than we previously thought. New observational data has enabled scientists
to refine their model of the Milky Way, revealing that Earth is moving 7 km/s
faster (around 16,000 mph) and is 2,000 light-years nearer to the supermassive
black hole Sagittarius A*.
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Arrows
on this map show position and velocity data for the 224 objects utilized to
model the Milky Way Galaxy. The solid black lines point to the positions of the
spiral arms of the Galaxy. Colors reflect groups of objects that are part of
the same arm, while the background is a simulation image. |
This more accurate information comes from 15 years of data gathered by Japan’s radio astronomy project VERA, which stands for VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry, with “VLBI” meaning Very Long Baseline Interferometry. The project, which began in 2000, aims to map the Milky Way’s three-dimensional velocity and spatial structure.
VERA
uses interferometry to collect and merge data from radio telescopes across
Japan. This method enables extremely high-resolution results, equivalent to a
telescope with a diameter of 2,300 km. The measurement is so precise, with a
resolution of 10 micro-arcseconds, that it could detect a U.S. penny if it were
left on the Moon’s surface.
The
VERA Astrometry Catalog, along with recent observations from other scientists,
allowed astronomers to construct a new position and velocity map, which
identifies the galaxy’s new center—a point around which everything in the
galaxy revolves.
The
updated map places this center, including the supermassive black hole, about
25,800 light-years away from Earth. This is notably closer than the previously
established distance of 27,700 light-years, which was set by the International
Astronomical Union in 1985.
The
map’s velocity data also shows that Earth is moving at 227 km/s in its orbit
around the galactic center, which is 7 km/s faster than the previously accepted
speed of 220 km/s.
Next,
VERA will focus on other objects, particularly those near the supermassive
black hole at the galaxy’s core.