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Astronomy

The Dynamics of Stellar Orbits Near the Galactic Center

Quick fact

The star S2 orbits the Milky Way's central black hole at speeds up to 7700 kilometers per second (nearly 25,000 times faster than Earth's orbital speed), completing a full orbit in about 16 years.

Why this is interesting

Stars whip around the center of our galaxy at incredible speeds—some taking only a few years to complete an orbit, despite being so far away. What force could possibly make them move that fast?