The Milky Way’s central black hole acts as a grinder for entire star systems.

Thousands of star systems and smaller black holes that ventures to close to Sagittarius A are shredded merciless by the supermassive black hole at the core of the Milky Way. Small stars, however, have some chance of escaping this terrifying grinder.

According to a new study set to be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers from the Czech Republic and Germany propose that B-type stars — only a few times the Sun's mass — and significantly larger O-type stars are being torn apart alongside thousands of smaller black holes near Sagittarius A.

More to read:
Astronomers discover black hole that sucks fuel out of its host galaxy

Their theory suggests that only the smaller, older B-type stars endure this violent cosmic turmoil, whereas the more massive O-type stars perish within five million years, transforming into additional small black holes amid the chaos.

This research challenges scientists’ current understanding of the extreme conditions at the galactic center, illustrating a relentless cycle of stellar destruction and formation.

It may also provide insight into a long-standing astronomical mystery: within less than a tenth of a light-year from Sagittarius A, O-type stars are conspicuously absent. Meanwhile, B-type stars dominate this region, with many observed being ejected at extraordinary velocities.

More to read:
Early Universe galaxies got killed by their supermassive black holes

The smaller B-stars can survive much longer in this harsh environment, up to about 50 million years, while heavy O-type stars are nowhere to find within a tenth of a light-year from Sagittarius A, lead author and Charles University astronomer PhD Jaroslav Haas explained in a university statement.

The team also found that the density of black holes increases as one moves away from the galactic center before tapering off at a specific distance — a pattern shaped by the complex dynamics near Sagittarius A.

These findings give scientists an entirely new perspective on the immediate surroundings of the supermassive black hole in the heart of the Milky Way and other galaxies.