A Supermassive Black Hole Is Heading Straight for the Milky Way—Here’s What That Means

Scientists have discovered a supermassive black hole, hidden within the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), moving toward the Milky Way

[{"selector":"#anim-70c77583-feac-41aa-bc42-c23a88bb843f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.01186%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ea038e6-6ef7-445e-80d5-04642cb71c65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9c0f832-0d5b-40fd-9bff-bb1678bc174b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

While this sounds alarming, the impact is billions of years away. Let’s break down what this means for our galaxy.

[{"selector":"#anim-cd642e90-452e-4c93-a580-b4e9dad588c2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.01186%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e789be0c-aa0d-45d5-a0b0-5c143ba46e13","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93cd1a92-8129-453d-a1b6-e247ec594d20","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

This black hole is estimated to be 600,000 times the mass of our Sun and is located within the LMC, a satellite galaxy orbiting the Milky Way

[{"selector":"#anim-6c7b978a-01c7-4d07-9482-abc5bc0ee415","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.23144%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b662c85f-1ed2-430e-8592-1b10f87fa258","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96b39583-6802-4906-9a2c-f315211082f8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b2a2b0f-400a-419b-aa15-6b58681a15d7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(105.63798%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67220ed4-1970-462b-8d03-f3f00806dd8f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-854dd0d9-9e98-44c6-90fa-19bf303c225c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Astronomers noticed unusual movements of stars within the LMC. These stars seem to have been ejected by an unseen, massive object—suggesting the presence of a supermassive black hole.

[{"selector":"#anim-bc26e7c9-8a53-424b-b46c-5b49724ec48b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.01186%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb0b0fb3-ab4e-4b57-a70a-27bdfb339ce5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b843690-8ea8-4e47-9bd6-250e1868638e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9664b2f-eb00-47ff-bf85-d0576dc72174","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.01186%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c12f881-d6bd-437d-afcc-32935746161d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c99b5e7-53c5-4f6c-b942-d0a9b6988c59","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Yes, but not anytime soon. The LMC itself is on a collision course with the Milky Way, expected to merge in about 2.4 billion years. This means the black hole it harbors will eventually interact with our galaxy.

[{"selector":"#anim-902d134f-61a1-431f-b49c-59892134704d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(107.12166%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c410b028-8e23-4043-ac94-7dd3c04ed5ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45142f4e-2aef-4153-9500-fc62b5ab26c4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de9537b3-8cfe-46ed-b542-53b68b14a8fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(107.12166%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe79c569-1015-4777-9277-821351a92d29","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-91311800-8f72-4731-a00f-da17eaee10bb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

No immediate danger exists, as these events will unfold over billions of years. However, studying them helps astronomers understand galactic evolution and black hole behavior.

[{"selector":"#anim-49149002-bcc6-4269-ae6c-7d3f5126ade9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.3086%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6ff49204-2486-48d2-a3db-ca57b12474a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf8f3d01-1c6f-45aa-aded-51f449f476b2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15402990-4fe7-4373-8029-c16cecdd08f5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.3086%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6c57813-2f69-4d58-9493-6fb275790640","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4a08143-1649-4613-9d41-6b6a76633f4a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The idea of a supermassive black hole heading toward us is fascinating, but there’s no cause for alarm. Instead, it presents an opportunity to learn more about cosmic collisions and the future of our galaxy.

[{"selector":"#anim-18add5d6-2293-4040-9267-b5082b137ab4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.3086%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98576fa4-51d4-4242-aa1b-befb34126461","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-afa4ae11-5f3c-4c0e-87e7-a51c0abe17f5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8d9bbff-903a-45a1-8802-81fafbe5c377","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(108.3086%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5f674f8-62fe-4ea3-850f-3852809c3956","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74565dbd-9a2b-4466-a302-537f69d8211a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

LIKE SHARE SAVE

[{"selector":"#anim-47e45a37-a07e-49ad-9572-6535f903d6c1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

A Supermassive Black Hole Is Heading Straight for the Milky Way—Here’s What That Means

Scientists have discovered a supermassive black hole, hidden within the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), moving toward the Milky Way

While this sounds alarming, the impact is billions of years away. Let’s break down what this means for our galaxy.

This black hole is estimated to be 600,000 times the mass of our Sun and is located within the LMC, a satellite galaxy orbiting the Milky Way

What Is This Supermassive Black Hole?

Astronomers noticed unusual movements of stars within the LMC. These stars seem to have been ejected by an unseen, massive object—suggesting the presence of a supermassive black hole.

How Was It Discovered?

Yes, but not anytime soon. The LMC itself is on a collision course with the Milky Way, expected to merge in about 2.4 billion years. This means the black hole it harbors will eventually interact with our galaxy.

Is It Really Coming for the Milky Way?

No immediate danger exists, as these events will unfold over billions of years. However, studying them helps astronomers understand galactic evolution and black hole behavior.

Should We Be Worried?

The idea of a supermassive black hole heading toward us is fascinating, but there’s no cause for alarm. Instead, it presents an opportunity to learn more about cosmic collisions and the future of our galaxy.

Should We Be Worried?

LIKE SHARE SAVE

Other Stories