Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at the center of our Milky Way

Question

Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. A ring of material orbits this massive object; the ring has a diameter of about 14 light years and an orbital speed of about 250km/s Determine the mass of the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Give your answer in kilograms. Express your answer using two significant figures. Give your answer in solar masses (one solar mass is the mass of the sun). Express your answer using two significant figures. Observations of stars, as well as theories of the structure of stars, suggest that it is impossible for a single star to have a mass of more than about 50 solar masses. Can this massive object be a single, ordinary star? yes no Many astronomers believe that the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is a black hole. If so, what must the Schwarzschild radius of this black hole be? Express your answer using two significant figures. Rs = Would a black hole of this size fit inside the earth's orbit around the sun? yes no

Explanation / Answer

a) 4.25e37 kg

b) 2.146e7 solar mass

c) NO,

The supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy is obviously far too big to be a single star. The reason it is supposed to be a black hole are that it is too compact (and massive) to be something else

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