Stars · Star orbiting Sagittarius A*
S301
26,700 light-years · Light crosses it in 7 seconds
- Across
- 2.1 million km
- Vs Earth
- 1.5× Sun
- Mass
- 1.3 Suns
About
S301 is a star a little bigger than the Sun, discovered in 2026 on the tightest known orbit around Sagittarius A*. Every 8.7 years it plunges to 12 times the Earth–Sun distance from the black hole, fast and close enough that it may reveal how quickly the black hole spins.
The fastest known star: over 8% of the speed of light at its closest.
At a glance
| Distance | 26,700 light-years |
|---|---|
| Orbit | 8.7 years |
| Closest approach | 12 times Earth–Sun |
| Top speed | 25,600 km/s |
Did you know
- At its top speed of 25,600 km/s, over 8% of the speed of light, it would cross from the Earth to the Moon in 15 seconds.
- It was found with the GRAVITY+ instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope; it next swings past the black hole in 2031.
- It was probably one of a pair: the black hole captured it and flung its partner away.