The Milky Way Black Hole

Courtesy: UCLA Galactic Center Group

Although we cant see the
Milky Way black hole,
we can use its
gravitational influences
on nearby stars
to find its mass.
Although we cant see the
Milky Way black hole,
we can use its
gravitational influences
on nearby stars
to find its mass.
Lets see how this works close to home.
How do you find the mass of Earth?
How do you find the mass of Earth?
Satellite orbits are the clue!
Distance
384,000 km
Period
28 days
Force of gravity keeps a
satellite in orbit.
F
net
= m a
F
gravity
= m a
centripetal
G M m
----------
R
2
m V
2
---------

R
=

G M
V
2
= ---------
R
G M
V
2
= ---------
R
But wait theres more!!
Orbit circumference = 2 R
Orbit Period = T
Average Orbit Speed
2 R
V = --------
T
(2 R)
2
G M
-------- = -------
T
2
R
4 R
3
----------
GT
2
= M
R = Orbit Radius
T = Orbit Period
M = Mass of body
R = 384,000 km = 3.84 x 10
8
meters
T = 28 days = 2.4 x 10
6
seconds
4 (3.14)
2
(3.84 x 10
8
)
3
-------------------------------- = M
(6.67 x 10
-11
) ( 2.4 x10
6
)
2
5.8 x 10
24
kilograms
Find the mass of Earth!
R = 27,000 light years
= 2.6 x 10
20
meters
T = 250 million years
= 7.9 x 10
15
seconds
Find the mass of the Milky Way!
R = 2.6 x 10
20
meters
T = 7.9 x 10
15
seconds
4 (3.14)
2
(2.6 x 10
20
)
3
-------------------------------- = M
(6.67 x 10
-11
) (7.9x10
15
)
2
2.2 x 10
41
kilograms
Find the mass of the Milky Way!
1 sun = 1.9 x 10
30
kilograms
Milky Way = 2.2 x 10
41
kilograms
so
2.2 x 10
41
kilograms
Milky Way = -----------------------------
1.9 x 10
30
kilograms
= 115 billion suns!!
A simpler formula:
R
3
M = ------
T
2
If R is in Astronomical Units
T is in years
M is in solar masses
4 R
3
M = ----------
GT
2
Find the mass of the
Milky Way Black Hole!
R = 840 AU
T = 15.2 years
(840)
3
M = ----------
(15.2)
2
= 2.6 million solar masses
Some Supermassive Black Holes
Name Mass (in suns)
Milky Way 2.6 million
Messier-32 2.5 million
Markarian 180 160 million
Messier-84 1.3 billion
Messier 87 3.0 billion
OJ 287 18 billion
Nearly every galaxy contains
a supermassive black hole.