Physics Main Calendar

View Full Calendar

Astrophysics, Gravitation and Cosmology Seminar - Michi Bauboeck (UIUC) "Galactic Center Science with GRAVITY at the VLT"

Event Type
Seminar/Symposium
Sponsor
Department of Physics
Virtual
wifi event
Date
Oct 20, 2021   12:00 pm  
Speaker
Michi Bauboeck (UIUC)
Contact
Brandy Koebbe
E-Mail
bkoebbe@illinois.edu
Views
39
Originating Calendar
Physics - Astrophysics, Relativity, and Cosmology Seminar

The GRAVITY instrument at the VLT offers an unprecedented view of the region around the supermassive black hole SgrA* at the center of the Milky Way. These observations have enabled precise measurements of stellar orbits around the black hole, including detection of the gravitational redshift and the relativistic precession of the periastron of the star S2. This high level of astrometric precision strengthens the case for a black hole at the galactic center and allows for tests of General Relativity in the strong-field regime. Moreover, the stability of the measured stellar orbits on a timescale of more than two decades constrains the presence of an intermediate mass black hole. I will discuss the recent results from the GRAVITY observations of the galactic center and their implications for the environment of SgrA*.

link for robots only