Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

The centre of the Milky Way

Nature volume 361, pages 417–424 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

Direct photometric evidence has established that the central bulge of our Galaxy (the Milky Way) is actually a stellar bar. The dynamics of the bar will drive material into the Galaxy's centre but recent X-ray observations suggest that much of the inflowing gas is driven out again in a high-pressure galactic wind. A small portion of the remainder appears to be falling onto an extraordinarily dense cluster of stars at the Galaxy's nucleus, which may contain a massive black hole.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jansky, K. Proc. IRE 20, 1920 (1932).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lynden-Bell, D. & Rees, M. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 152, 461–475 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wollman, E. R., Geballe, T. R., Lacy, J. H., Townes, C. H. & Rank, D. M. Astrophys. J. 218, L103–L107 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Krabbe, A., Genzel, R., Drapatz, S. & Rotaciuc, V. Astrophys. J. 382, L19–L22 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hauser, M. G. et al. NASA photograph G90-03046 (1990).

  6. Hubble, E. Astrophys. J. 64, 321–369 (1924).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. de Vaucouleurs, G., in IAU Symp. 20: The Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds (eds Kerr, F. J. & Rodgers, A. W.) 195–199 (Australian Academy of Science, Sydney 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Peters, W. L. Astrophys. J. 195, 617–629 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Liszt, H. S. & Burton, W. B. Astrophys. J. 236, 779–797 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Yuan, C. Astrophys. J. 281, 600–613 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Blitz, L. & Spergel, D. N. Astrophys. J. 379, 631–638 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Matsumoto, T. et al. in The Galactic Center (eds G. Riegler & R. Blandford) 48–52 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Weiland, J. et al. in Back to the Galaxy (ed. Verter, F.) (AIP, New York, in the press).

  14. Weinberg, M. D. Astrophys. J. 384, 81–94 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Nakada, Y. et al. Nature 353, 140–141 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Whitelock, P. & Catchpole, R. in The Center, Bulge and Disk of the Milky Way (ed. Blitz, L.) 103–110 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1992).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Binney, J. J., Gerhard, O. E., Stark, A. A., Bally, J. & Uchida, K. I. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 252, 210–218 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Cohen, R. J. & Few, R. W. Mon. Nat. R. astr. Soc. 176, 495–523 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Cohen, R. J. & Dent, W. R. F. in Surveys of the Southern Galaxy (eds Burton, W. B. & Israel. F. P.) 159–164 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1983).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  20. Bally, J., Stark, A. A., Wilson, R. W. & Henkel, C. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 65, 13–82 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Contopoulos, G., & Mertzanides, C. Astr. Astrophys. 61, 477–485 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kent, S. M., Dame, T. M. & Fazio, G. Astrophys. J. 378, 131–138 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ciotti, L., D'Ercole, A., Pellegrini, S. & Renzini, A. Astrophys. J. 376, 380–403 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Heiles, C. Astrophys. J. 324, 321–330 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Boulares, A. & Cox, D. P. Astrophys. J. 365, 544–558 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Yamauchi, S. et al. Astrophys. J. 365, 532–538 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Güsten, R. in The Center of the Galaxy (ed. Morris, M.) 89–106 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  28. Morris, M., Yusef-Zadeh, F. & Chance, D. in Birth and Infancy of Stars (eds Lucas, R., Omont, A. & Stora, R.) 209 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Spergel, D. N. & Blitz, L. Nature 357, 665–667 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Morris, M. in The Center of the Galaxy (ed. Morris, M.) 171–177 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Stark, A. A., Bally, J., Wilson, R. W. & Pound, M. W. in The Center of the Galaxy (ed, Morris, M.) 129–133 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  32. Shlossman, I., Frenk, J. & Begelman, M. Nature 338, 45–47 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Yusef-Zadeh, F., Morris, M. & Chance, D. Nature 310, 557–561 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Sofue, Y. & Handa, T. Nature 310, 568–569 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Balbus, S. A. & Hawley, J. F. Astrophys. J. 376, 214–222 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Blandford, R. D. & Payne, D. R. Mon. Nat. R. Astr. Soc. 199, 883–903 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. Pudritz, R. E. & Norman, C. A. Astrophys. J. 301, 571–586 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Sofue, Y., Reich, W. & Reich, P. Astrophys. J. 341, L47–L49 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Blitz, L., Bloemen, J. B. G. M., Hermsen, W. & Bania, T. M. Astrophys. 143, 267–273 (1985).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Pedlar, A. et al. Astrophys. J. 342, 769–784 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. Genzel, R. in The Center of the Galaxy (ed. Morris, M.) 393–405 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  42. Güsten, R. et al. Astrophys. J. 318, 124–138 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Jackson, J. M. et al. Astrophys. J. 402, 173–184 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. McGinn, M. T., Sellgren, K., Becklin, E. E. & Hall, D. N. B. Astrophys. J. 338, 824–840 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Ekers, R. D., van Gorkom, J. H., Schwarz, U. J. & Goss, W. M. Astr. Astrophys. 122, 143–150 (1983).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Lo, K. Y. & Claussen, M. Nature 306, 647–651 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Lacy, J. H., Geballe, T. R. & Hollenbach, D. J. Astrophys. J. 262, 120–134 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Roberts, D. A., Goss, W. M. & van Gorkom, J. H. Astrophys. J. 366, L15–L18 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Quinn, P. J. & Sussman, G. J. Astrophys. J. 288, 377–384 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Serabyn, E. & Lacy, J. H. Astrophys. J. 293, 445–458 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Aitkin, D. K., Gezari, D., Smith, C. H. McCaughrean, M. & Roche, P. F. Astrophys. J. 380, 419–428 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  52. Killeen, N. E. B., Lo, K. Y. & Crutcher, R. Astrophys. J. 385, 585–603 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Ho, P. T. P. et al. Nature 350, 309–312 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Okumura, S. K. et al. Astrophys. J. 378, 127–130 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Mezger, P. G. et al. Astrophys. 209, 337–348.

  56. Zylka, R., Mezger, P. G. & Wink, J. Astr. Astrophys. 234, 133–146 (1990).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  57. Okumura, S. K. et al. Astrophys. J. 347, 240–250 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Ho, P. T. P., Jackson, J. M., Barrett, A. H. & Armstrong, J. T. Astrophys. J. 288, 575–579 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Szczepanski, J. C., Ho, P. T. P. & Güsten, R. in Skylines. Proc. 3rd Haystack Observatory Mtg (eds aschick, A. D. & Ho, P. T. P.) 143–151 (Astr. Soc. Pacif., San Francisco, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  60. Phinney, E. S. in The Center of the Galaxy (ed. Morris, M.) 543–553 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  61. Sellgren, K., McGinn, M. T., Becklin, E. E. & Hall, D. N. B. Astrophys. J. 359, 112–120 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Eckart, A. et al. Nature 355, 526–528 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  63. Allen, D. A., Hyland, A. R. & Hillier, D. J. Mon. Nat. R. astr. Soc. 244, 706–713 (1990).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Adams, D. J. et al. Astrophys. J. 327, L65–L68 (1988).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  65. Rieke, G. H. & Lebofsky, M. J. in The Galactic Center (eds Riegler, G. R, & Blandford, R. D.) 194–302 (AIP, New York, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  66. Gezari, D. Y. in The Center. Bulge and Disk of the Milky Way (ed. Blitz, L.) 23,–46 (Kluwer, Dordrecht 1992).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  67. Becklin, E. E., Gatley, I. & Werner, M. W. Astrophys. J. 258, 135–142 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Werner, M. & Davidson, J. IAU Symp. No. 136, The Center of the Galaxy (ed. Morris, M.) 423–436 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  69. Balick, B. & Brown, R. L. Astrophys. J. 194, 265–270 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  70. Lo, K. Y., Backer, D., Kellerman, K., Moran, J. M. & Reid, M. Nature 315, 124–125 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  71. Rees, M. J. in The Galactic Center (eds Riegler, G. R. & Blandford, R. D.) 166–176 (AIP, New York, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  72. Zylka, R., Mezger, P. G., & Lesch, L. Astr. Astrophys. 261, 119–121 (1992).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  73. Melia, F. Astrophys, J. 387, LI25–L28 (1992).

  74. Reynolds, S. P. & McKee, C. F. Astrophys. J. 239, 893–897 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Genzel, R. & Townes, C. H. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 25, 377–423 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Sanders, R. H. Nature 359, 131–132 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  77. Backer, D. & Sramek, R. Abstr. URSI Mtg (January 1993).

  78. Haymes, R. C. et al. Astrophys. J. 201, 593–602 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Riegler, G. R., Ling, J. C., Mahoney, W. A., Wheaten, W. A. & Jacobsen, A. S. Astrophys. J. 294, L13–K15 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Leventhal, M., MacCallum, C. J., Husters, A. F. & Stang, P. D. Astrophys. J. 260, L1–L5 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Lingenfelter, R. & Ramaty, R. in AIP Proc. No. 83 (eds Riegler, G. & Blandford, R.) 148–158 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1982).

  82. Bouchet, L. et al. Astrophys. J. 383, L45–L48 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA

    Leo Blitz

  2. University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford, 0X1 3NP, UK

    James Binney

  3. Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, 1002 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA

    K. Y. Lo

  4. University of Colorado, APAS, Campus Box 391, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA

    John Bally

  5. Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA

    Paul T. P. Ho

Authors
  1. Leo Blitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James Binney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Y. Lo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John Bally
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Paul T. P. Ho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Blitz, L., Binney, J., Lo, K. et al. The centre of the Milky Way. Nature 361, 417–424 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/361417a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/361417a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing