ESOcast 173: First Successful Test of Einstein’s General Relativity Near Supermassive Black Hole

Observations made with ESO’s Very Large Telescope have for the first time revealed the effects predicted by Einstein’s general relativity on the motion of a star passing through the extreme gravitational field near the supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. This long-sought result represents the climax of a 26-year-long observation campaign using ESO’s telescopes in Chile.
Credit:
ESO
Directed by: Calum Turner and Herbert Zodet.
Editing: Herbert Zodet.
Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida.
Written by: Calum Turner and Richard Hook.
Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa.
Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com) and Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com).
Footage and photos: ESO, MPE, M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada, spaceengine.org, N. Risinger (skysurvey.org), Digitized Sky Survey 2, GRAVITY Collaboration, C. Malin (christophmalin.com), Liam Young/Unknown Fields, Gianluca Lombardi (glphoto.it), B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), Naumann Film GmbH (naumann-film.de), H. Zodet and John Colosimo (colosimophotography.com).
Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.
More information and download options are available on: www.eso.org/public/videos/eso...

[@condorboss3339]

It would have been nice if the narrator, instead of getting all woozy about how great the collaboration was and the expensive toys, actually took the time to explain how the interferometer worked and the nature of gravitational redshift. Some graphs showing prediction vs measurement would have been nice as well.

[@thomasfleig1184]

What's crazy to think about is that this closest approach to the black hole they are looking at, which is a 16 year event, happened 25,000 years ago.

[@deadgar69]

If we proved Einstein wrong in some of his ecuations it's ok cause they didn't have our technology but Einstein being prove right with something from 1915, that's incredible that man really was a genius so much respect

[@anisurfer84]

Came here to see more technical details -- didn't find much.

[@paulfromt.o.7384]

That star sped up to 6,944 km/second as it got pulled nearest that black hole.

[@TheExoplanetsChannel]

Congratulations !

[@mylesbishop1240]

What we accomplished in 100 years is mind boggling. I wish I could be alive for the next 100

[@SueMead]

+European Southern Observatory (ESO)

[@doctorale666]

Would be fun seeing this thing rip apart one of those orbiting stars.

[@jaytwix2]

einstein intelligence is out of this world and the people who built that instrument is really mind boggling technology

[@packetcreeper]

This is absolutely fascinating. It's mind boggling to imagine that S2 travels at around 3000 miles per second as it whips around Sagittarius A*.

[@shiggins1324]

Great work by all involved. Congratulated! Very impressive.

[@johnpatmos1722]

The video was more about promoting ESO than informing me about the physics.

[@EuDouArteHipHopArtCulture21]

amazing thank you for your hard work '

[@PMartin7311]

Fascinating stuff!

[@carlosdiezdesollano-itsav1777]

Outstanding! Completely amazing :D

[@idontwantacallsign]

Thank you for the Video. Einstein is without doubt one of the greatest scientists ever, and let's not forget Newton ;-)

[@thomsch]

Congratulations, that's a fantastic achievement :-)

[@robertofiaschi2830]

Sensational video. Exceptional work! the negative evaluations are ridiculous

[@johnyjack007]

Such a beautiful video and advancement in astronomy by you seen a master peice of art in space after long time thank you and all the very best for further future Achievements.. congrats ESO team