OGLE-2011-BLG-0462

OGLE-2011-BLG-0462, also known as MOA-2011-BLG-191, is a stellar-mass black hole isolated in interstellar space. OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 lies at a distance of 1,720 parsecs (5,610 light years) in the direction of the galactic bulge in the constellation Sagittarius. The black hole has a mass of about 6.03 M_☉. OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 is the first truly isolated black hole which has been confirmed.

Discovery

OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 was discovered through microlensing when it passed in front of a background star that was 20,000 light years away from Earth. The black hole's gravity bent the star's light, causing a sharp spike in brightness that was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope. It took six years to confirm the existence of OGLE-2011-BLG-0462. Its initial kick velocity has been estimated to have an upper limit of 100 km/s. No significant X-ray emission has been detected from gas accreting onto the black hole indicating that it is truly isolated.

See also

• Rogue black hole

References

1. List of nearest known black holes
2. Rogue black hole
3. Gaia BH1
4. List of black holes
5. 2022 in science
6. January–March 2022 in science
7. 2015 DR215
8. 2022 YG