Galactic Center

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/galactic-center

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Galactic Center?Estimated at 4 million solar masses
2. How big is Galactic Center?Approximately 1,000 light-years in diameter
3. What is the galactic center distance?Approximately 26,000 light-years from Earth
4. What is the central object?Supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A

Accretion Disk: A rotating disk of gas and dust that orbits a central object, such as a black hole, and is drawn inwards by gravity.
Wolf-Rayet Star: A rare type of massive, hot star that is losing its outer layers and ejecting material at high speeds.
Event Horizon Telescope (EHT): A global network of radio telescopes that work together to create a virtual telescope the size of Earth, capable of imaging black holes.