<p>If I go from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_black_holes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">list of black holes</a> to the page of a particular object like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A0620-00" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> there is a link to SIMBAD database like <a href="http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=1A%200620-00" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a>. This SIMBAD database has galactic coordinates in this format</p>

<p>Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 209.9563 -06.5399 [ 100 12 0 ]</p>

<p>where 209.9563 is a Galactic longitude, which changes from 0 to 360 degrees. -06.5399 is Galactic latitude, which is always around zero (+/- 10 degrees), because our galaxy is almost flat. Good explanation for galactic coordinates is on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this wikipedia page</a>.</p>

<p>To put the object on 2D map like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system#/media/File:Artist%27s_impression_of_the_Milky_Way_(updated_-_annotated).jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> only Galactic longitude and distance to the object is needed. For example, this is the map of all black holes which I could find in wikipedia in our Galaxy.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/XCzpC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/XCzpC.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-25T06:48:13.570Z
That map cannot be produced using just Galactic latitude and longitude.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-16T14:27:16.023Z
2018-03-16T14:27:16.023Z
Zlelik
<p>There are some articles in wikipedia with the list of known (or candidates) black holes <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_black_holes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_black_holes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">list of nearest black holes</a>. Also there is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way#/media/File:Artist%27s_impression_of_the_Milky_Way_(updated_-_annotated).jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">map of Milky Way</a>.</p>

<p>My question is where can I get approximate position of the known black holes in our Galaxy (Milky Way) as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Galactic coordinate system</a> or maybe some other galaxy coordinates? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-07T10:25:49.340Z
Do you mean positions in 3d? Or just positions in the sky in 2d Galactic coordinates?
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-07T10:45:56.083Z
If it's just 2D Galactic coordinates, then you can look up the objects on Simbad. (In fact, each of the objects in the second Wikipedia list has, on its own Wikipedia page, a link to the corresponding Simbad page (right-hand sidebar, under "Database references".)
Peter Erwin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-07T18:06:52.960Z
I got one: 0.0.0  and it's big.
ShadoCat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-08T11:40:42.027Z
@RobJeffries I am not sure. Which coordinates are most used for galaxy objects?
Zlelik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-08T11:54:41.100Z
The 2D galactic coordinates can be straightforwardly obtained from Simbad (as described by Peter Erwin) or by taking the RA, Dec and converting them into galactic coordinates http://www.robertmartinayers.org/tools/coordinates.html
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-08T11:56:17.633Z
3d positions is more interesting, but difficult, since an accurate distance to most of these objects is unknown. That will all change next month when Gaia-DR2 is released.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-08T14:12:38.093Z
Related: Phil Plait (BadAstronomy) posted that soon (i.e days or weeks or something) astronomers will be observing a star plunging very close to a nearby black hole - it won't be captured, but things might be interesting.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-09T08:46:13.500Z
How to understand SIMBAD database? For example for this one
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=1A%200620-00

Is it this line related to galactic coordinates?
"Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 209.9563 -06.5399 [ 100 12 0 ]"
as I understand 2D galactic coordinates is a angle from 0 to 360 and distance in light years. where is it in this database?
Zlelik
<black-hole><galaxy><milky-way><coordinate>
Coordinates of known black holes in our Galaxy (Milky Way)
Zlelik
# Coordinates of known black holes in our Galaxy (Milky Way)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-07)

There are some articles in wikipedia with the list of known (or candidates) black holes [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_black_holes) and [list of nearest black holes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_black_holes). Also there is a [map of Milky Way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way#/media/File:Artist%27s_impression_of_the_Milky_Way_(updated_-_annotated).jpg).

My question is where can I get approximate position of the known black holes in our Galaxy (Milky Way) as [Galactic coordinate system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system) or maybe some other galaxy coordinates?

**Tags:** black-hole, galaxy, milky-way, coordinate

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Do you mean positions in 3d? Or just positions in the sky in 2d Galactic coordinates?  
> **username_2**: If it's just 2D Galactic coordinates, then you can look up the objects on Simbad. (In fact, each of the objects in the second Wikipedia list has, on its own Wikipedia page, a link to the corresponding Simbad page (right-hand sidebar, under "Database references".)  
> **username_3**: I got one: 0.0.0  and it's big.  
> **username_0**: @RobJeffries I am not sure. Which coordinates are most used for galaxy objects?  
> **username_1**: The 2D galactic coordinates can be straightforwardly obtained from Simbad (as described by username_2) or by taking the RA, Dec and converting them into galactic coordinates http://www.robertmartinayers.org/tools/coordinates.html  
> **username_1**: 3d positions is more interesting, but difficult, since an accurate distance to most of these objects is unknown. That will all change next month when Gaia-DR2 is released.  
> **username_4**: Related: Phil Plait (BadAstronomy) posted that soon (i.e days or weeks or something) astronomers will be observing a star plunging very close to a nearby black hole - it won't be captured, but things might be interesting.  
> **username_0**: How to understand SIMBAD database? For example for this one http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=1A%200620-00  Is it this line related to galactic coordinates? "Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 209.9563 -06.5399 [ 100 12 0 ]" as I understand 2D galactic coordinates is a angle from 0 to 360 and distance in light years. where is it in this database?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2018-03-16. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

If I go from the [list of black holes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_black_holes) to the page of a particular object like [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A0620-00) there is a link to SIMBAD database like [this](http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=1A%200620-00). This SIMBAD database has galactic coordinates in this format

Gal coord. (ep=J2000) : 209.9563 -06.5399 [ 100 12 0 ]

where 209.9563 is a Galactic longitude, which changes from 0 to 360 degrees. -06.5399 is Galactic latitude, which is always around zero (+/- 10 degrees), because our galaxy is almost flat. Good explanation for galactic coordinates is on [this wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system).

To put the object on 2D map like [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_coordinate_system#/media/File:Artist%27s_impression_of_the_Milky_Way_(updated_-_annotated).jpg) only Galactic longitude and distance to the object is needed. For example, this is the map of all black holes which I could find in wikipedia in our Galaxy.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/XCzpC.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/XCzpC.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: That map cannot be produced using just Galactic latitude and longitude.  

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