Abstract
An infrared source has been imaged within 0″.2 ± 0″.3 of the unique Galactic center radio source Sgr A*. High angular resolution (〈FWHM〉 ∼ 0″.55) was achieved by rapid (∼50 Hz) real-time image motion compensation. The source's near-infrared magnitudes (K = 12.1 ± 0.3, H = 13.7 ± 0.3, and J = 16.6 ± 0.4) are consistent with a hot object reddened by the local extinction (Av ∼ 27). At the 3 σ level of confidence, a time series of 80 images limits the source variability to less than 50% on timescales from 3 to 30 minutes. The photometry is consistent with the emission from a simple accretion disk model for a ∼1 × 106 M⊙ black hole. However, the fluxes are also consistent with a hot luminous (L ∼ 103.5-4.6 L⊙) central cluster star positionally coincident with Sgr A*.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 682-686 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 439 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 1995 |
Keywords
- Black hole physics
- Galaxy: center
- ISM: individual (Sagittarius A)
- Infrared: stars
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science