May 11, 2013

A reproduction of the Milky Way with details of its central area (Image ESA–C. Carreau)

ESA’s Herschel space telescope has completed its mission at the end of April, but the observations it made continue to be a source of discovery. A study of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way performed on observations conducted between 2011 and 2012 identified a significantly warmer than expected gas that may orbit around it or fall towards it.