VLBI Group

First polarized image of the black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy. [March 2021]

Our research group is focused on the study of black hole accretion and relativistic jet formation through very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations with mm-wave arrays, such as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), and orbiting antennas, such as the space VLBI mission RadioAstron. In particular our research group is playing a key role in the scientific exploitation of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).

Our group is part of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), in Granada, Spain, currently an EHT affiliated institution, one of the most important investigation centers of the country also distinguished with the “Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence Award”.

Our research group has become one of the most relevant in the EHT, and played a key role in the analysis and imaging of the EHT observations of SgrA*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

First image of Sagittarius A* the black hole at the centre of our galaxy Milky way. [May 2022]

The image is a long-anticipated look at the massive object that sits at the very centre of our galaxy. Scientists had previously seen stars orbiting around something invisible, compact, and very massive at the centre of the Milky Way. This strongly suggested that this object — known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*, pronounced “sadge-ay-star”) — is a black hole, and today’s image provides the first direct visual evidence of it. The results are published in a special issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

VLBI Group at IAA in the News

First Image of Sagittarius A*

• Press Conference at CSIC Headquarters: Youtube Live

• CanalSur: Andalucía, clave en la captación de la primera imagen del agujero negro de la Vía Láctea

• Nature: Black hole at the centre of our Galaxy imaged for the first time

• El País: Tomada la primera imagen de Sagitario A*, el agujero negro en el centro de nuestra galaxia

• El País in English: Sagittarius A*: The inside story of how the Milky Way’s black hole was snapped

• EL MUNDO: Captan la primera imagen del agujero negro de nuestra galaxia, Sagitario A*, probando su existencia

• 20minutos: Rocco Lico, astrofísico: “El agujero negro no es tan grande como para absorber la Vía Láctea.”

• ABC: Primera imagen de Sagitario A*, el agujero negro del centro de nuestra galaxia, en directo.

• ABC: Ya estamos observando otras galaxias, como una candidata a contener dos agujeros negros en su centro.

• IDEAL: Granada, clave en la primera fotografía del centro de nuestra galaxia

• SER: ¿Qué nos dice la foto de Sagitario A*, el agujero negro del centro de nuestra galaxia? Hablamos con uno de los científicos españoles que ha participado en su obtención

• AS USA: Why is the Milky Way black hole called Sagittarius A*?

• Cope: La ciencia celebra una imagen histórica que cambia la concepción del Universo

• El Confidential: Imagen histórica del agujero negro de la Vía Láctea: primera foto real de Sagitario A*

• Natiódigita: Així és Sagitari A*, el forat negre del centre de la Via Làctia