D9 (star)

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D9 (star)
Location of binary star D9 in the Milky Way (eso2418a).jpg
Location of D9 Binary System near Sagittarius A* Black hole
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0       Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Sagittarius
Right ascension 17h 45m 40.0s [1]
Declination −29° 00′ 28″ [1]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Herbig Ae/Be + T Tauri
Astrometry
Distance 26,000  ly
Orbit [2]
Period (P)372 ± 3 days
Semi-major axis (a)1.59 ± 0.01 AU
Details [2]
D9a
Mass 2.8 ± 0.50  M☉
Age 2.7+1.9
−0.3  Myr
D9b
Mass 0.7 ± 0.14  M☉
Age 2.7+1.9
−0.3  Myr
Other designations
D9

D9 is a recently discovered binary star system located in the S Cluster, a dense group of stars orbiting Sagittarius A* (SgrA*), the supermassive black hole at the center of Milky Way Galaxy. D9 is located approximately 26,000 light-years from Earth. It is the first confirmed binary star system observed in such close proximity to a supermassive black hole, challenging existing models of star formation and stability in extreme gravitational environments. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [ excessive citations ]

Contents

Discovery and Characteristics

The D9 system was identified by an international team led by Florian Peißker from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The discovery utilized over 15 years of spectroscopic data collected by ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, primarily through the ERIS and SINFONI instruments. Velocity variations in the system’s infrared light confirmed its binary nature, distinguishing it from a single star. [2] [4] [5] [7] [8]

Image of D9 Binary close to Sagittarius A* Black Hole Image of the binary star D9 close to Sagittarius A* (annotated) (eso2418b).jpg
Image of D9 Binary close to Sagittarius A* Black Hole

Orbital Dynamics

The two stars in D9 are gravitationally bound, but the intense tidal forces from Sgr A* are expected to disrupt their orbit, likely causing a merger into a single star within approximately one million years. This short-lived binary phase provides a rare opportunity to study such systems in extreme conditions. [5]

Significance

The discovery of D9 challenges the assumption that supermassive black holes create "destructive" environments hostile to star formation. The presence of gas and dust around the system suggests it formed in situ near Sgr A*, contradicting earlier models. The system may provide insights into the nature of G objects, enigmatic, puffed-up stars in the S cluster—potentially as products of merged binaries. Additionally, D9’s youth raises the possibility of planet formation in the Galactic Center, with future observations using instruments like the VLT’s GRAVITY+ or the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) with METIS expected to further explore this prospect. [4] [2]

References

  1. 1 2 Reid, M. J.; Brunthaler, A. (December 2004). "The Proper Motion of Sagittarius A*. II. The Mass of Sagittarius A*". The Astrophysical Journal . 616 (2): 872–884. arXiv: astro-ph/0408107 . Bibcode:2004ApJ...616..872R. doi:10.1086/424960. ISSN   0004-637X. S2CID   16568545.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Peißker, Florian; Zajaček, Michal; Labadie, Lucas; Bordier, Emma; Eckart, Andreas; Melamed, Maria; Karas, Vladimír (2024). "A binary system in the S cluster close to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A". Nature Communications. 15 (1): 10608. arXiv: 2412.12727 . Bibcode:2024NatCo..1510608P. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-54748-3. PMC   11652627 . PMID   39690145.
  3. ↑ information@eso.org. "Location of binary star D9 in the Milky Way". www.eso.org. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  4. 1 2 3 information@eso.org. "First ever binary star found near our galaxy's supermassive black hole". www.eso.org. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  5. 1 2 3 Robert Lea (2024-12-17). "Astronomers discover 1st binary stars orbiting supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way". Space. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  6. ↑ Hyman, Randall (2024-12-17). "Binary star system finally discovered near Milky Way center". Astronomy Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  7. ↑ Koberlein, Brian (2024-12-19). "A Binary Star Found Surprisingly Close to the Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole". Universe Today. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  8. ↑ iain.todd@ourmedia.co.uk (2024-12-22). "D9 binary stars near black hole Sagittarius A*". BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-21.

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