# Astronomers identify star on the tightest known orbit around Sagittarius A*

_Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Astronomers identify star on the tightest known orbit around Sagittarius A* — Primary](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k9dqpxUFNVdjZztgT6EBce-2000-80.png)

Astronomers reported in Nature that they identified S301, a faint star orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole every 8.7 years. The star passes within about 12 astronomical units of Sagittarius A* at roughly 8% of the speed of light, according to the report. Researchers used the GRAVITY instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and archival observations. They said continued observations could enable a measurement of the black hole's spin within about a decade.

## Sources

- [Latest from Live Science](https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/astronomers-spot-the-closest-fastest-star-ever-seen-orbiting-our-galaxys-monster-black-hole)

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Retrieved: 2026-08-19T17:34:11.489Z
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