science π First black hole microquasar spotted in Milky Way
Astronomers have discovered the first microblazar in our Milky Way galaxy, which acts as a powerful black hole-powered particle accelerator. This system, known as IRAS 18293β0941, is located about 12,000 light-years away from Earth. It features a stellar-mass black hole orbiting a massive star every 11 Earth days, blasting near light-speed plasma jets. The object was previously hidden because it was obscured by thick interstellar gas and dust, making it invisible in optical images. Further observations revealed a 100 light-year-wide bubble created by the jet impacting interstellar gas.