OGLE-2011-BLG-0462
Black hole in the constellation Sagittarius
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OGLE-2011-BLG-0462, also known as MOA-2011-BLG-191, is a stellar-mass black hole isolated in interstellar space. OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 lies at a distance of 1,720 parsecs (5,610 light years) in the direction of the galactic bulge in the constellation Sagittarius. The black hole has a mass of about 7.15 M☉.[5] OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 is the first truly isolated black hole which has been confirmed.[6][7][8]
Animated astrometric observations of the gravitational microlensing of OGLE-2011-BLG-0462/MOA-2011-BLG-191 | |
| Observation data Epoch 2455874.50236 (2011-11-09.00 UT) Equinox ICRS | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius[1] |
| Right ascension | 17h 51m 40.15s[2] |
| Declination | −29° 53′ 26.2″[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 134.0[2] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2.210 mas/yr[3] Dec.: −3.533 mas/yr[3] |
| Distance | 5,000±490 ly (1,520±150 pc)[3] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 7.15±0.83[3] M☉ |
| Radius | 21.1±2.5[4] km |
| Other designations | |
| MOA-2011-BLG-191 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Discovery
OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 was discovered by the OGLE survey through microlensing when it passed in front of a background star that was 20,000 light years away from Earth. The black hole's gravity bent the star's light, causing a sharp spike in brightness that was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope. It took six years to confirm the existence of OGLE-2011-BLG-0462. Its initial kick velocity has been estimated to have an upper limit of 100 km/s.[9][10] No significant X-ray emission has been detected from gas accreting onto the black hole indicating that it is truly isolated.[11]