A comment on the star density at the Galactic Centre, and the nature of infrared source sixteen
Abstract
In view of the important consequences of showing that our Galaxy does contain a massive black hole, the high-resolution near-infrared data were reconsidered to test a major argument in favor of the black hole hypothesis, namely, that the large velocity dispersion of the ionized gas close to the Galactic Center indicates a central mass much larger than could be provided by stars alone. The analysis shows that the central star density is much higher than previously thought, that IRS 16 can be understood as due simply to the strongly centrally condensed star distribution, and that the gas velocity dispersion data close to the center may be explained as due to noncircular motions in a gravitational field determined by the stars alone. A massive black hole is not necessarily required by the data.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- January 1980
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/190.2.217
- Bibcode:
- 1980MNRAS.190..217B
- Keywords:
-
- Galactic Evolution;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Infrared Astronomy;
- Milky Way Galaxy;
- Star Distribution;
- Brightness;
- Near Infrared Radiation;
- Stellar Mass;
- Astrophysics