Scientists just found the fastest known star in the Milky Way. It zooms around our black hole at 15,500 miles per second - Space
Astronomers have discovered a star named S301 that orbits the Milky Way's central black hole at record-breaking speeds. Its proximity to the black hole provides a unique opportunity to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.
Why it matters
This discovery allows scientists to directly measure the effects of a massive black hole on spacetime, advancing our understanding of fundamental physics.
Stars Scientists just found the fastest known star in the Milky Way. It zooms around our black hole at 15,500 miles per second News By Stefanie Waldek Published 19 August 2026 The star is traveling more than 8% the speed of light.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works .
Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Astronomers have found the fastest known star in the Milky Way, a faint object racing around Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy. Dubbed S301, the star reaches about 15,500 miles (25,000 kilometers) per second at its fastest - more than 8% the speed of light.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in