Strong magnetic fields have been detected in the Milky Way’s central black hole

To date, astronomers have managed to obtain images of just two black holes: in the Milky Way and in the galaxy Messier 87. And, although they differ significantly in mass and size, the data indicate that they are remarkably similar, which has led scientists to wonder if they have things in common beyond appearance. To test this, the Event Horizon Telescope Project team studied Sagittarius A* in polarised light. Previous similar studies of the supermassive black hole in the Messier 87 galaxy showed that the magnetic fields around it allowed it to eject powerful jets of matter into its environment.