Astronomers are rethinking the idea that our galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole. Instead, they suggest an enormous clump of mysterious dark matter could be exerting the same gravitational influence. This invisible substance makes up most of the universe’s mass and can explain both the violent dance of stars near the galactic centre and the gentle rotation of the entire galaxy in its outskirts.
The new study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, proposes that a specific type of dark matter made up of fermions, or light subatomic particles, could create a unique cosmic structure. This dense core would mimic the gravitational pull of a black hole and explain the orbits of stars observed near the galactic centre.
The researchers used data from the European Space Agency’s GAIA DR3 mission to map the rotation curve of the Milky Way’s outer halo. They found that the dark matter model provides a unified framework that explains both the galaxy’s core (central stars and shadow) and its large-scale rotation. The study suggests that this new model is crucial for future observations, including precise data from instruments like the GRAVITY interferometer.
Source: https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/research-highlights/dark-matter-not-black-hole-could-power-milky-ways-heart