Proximity of New Stars to Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole Raises Concerns
Astronomers have discovered a star cluster named IRS 13 near the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, Sgr A*, that contains unusually young stars. This is surprising because the region close to the black hole is exposed to powerful radiation and gravitational forces that should inhibit star formation. The researchers suggest that the cluster formed elsewhere and was pulled towards the black hole, triggering a second episode of star formation. The findings shed light on the mysterious young stars in the galactic center and may have implications for understanding star populations in other galaxies with supermassive black holes.