<p>I am just wondering: is there a potential galactic centre out there that's very close to us? I know that CMDG is irregular, but can it still contain a black hole at the centre?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-29T04:29:11.580Z
Do you mean a supermassive black hole, or just a regular one?
probably_someone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-29T12:22:16.013Z
@probably_someone Well, I'd hope for a supermassive one - so that it can serve as a 'gravitational centre' to the Galaxy - but even if a regular one exists so that it's the centre to the galaxy, that would still answer my question.
Max
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2017-05-29T13:17:39.490Z
I'm under the impression that even the existence of the CMDG is a source of minor controversy.  If it exists (as a galaxy) it will be irregular and I'm not sure the word "center" applies here.
StephenG - Help Ukraine
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2017-05-29T14:44:15.433Z
@StephenG Yes, as I mentioned, I do appreciate that if it ever is a galaxy, it is irregular; however, even such irregular galaxies, I believe, contain smaller groups of star clusters which may all be centred around an older black hole. Of course, that would not technically be a 'galactic centre', but that would still be pretty cool.
Max
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T03:01:37.437Z
Just to note: even supermassive black holes are only small fractions of the mass of a galaxy, even a dwarf galaxy. The bodies within the galaxy orbit, overall, each other - their center of gravity, that is.
Asher
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-22T23:44:51.647Z
‘even if a regular one exists so that it's the centre to the galaxy’ makes no sense. A “regular” stellar BH has the same mass as a “regular” star, and there’s plenty of these at the centre of any galaxy. In any case, a stellar BH in CMDG would be exceedingly hard to detect.
Chappo Hasn't Forgotten
<black-hole><observational-astronomy><galactic-center><dwarf-galaxy>
Does the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy have a black hole at its centre?
Max
# Does the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy have a black hole at its centre?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-29)

I am just wondering: is there a potential galactic centre out there that's very close to us? I know that CMDG is irregular, but can it still contain a black hole at the centre?

**Tags:** black-hole, observational-astronomy, galactic-center, dwarf-galaxy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Do you mean a supermassive black hole, or just a regular one?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Well, I'd hope for a supermassive one - so that it can serve as a 'gravitational centre' to the Galaxy - but even if a regular one exists so that it's the centre to the galaxy, that would still answer my question.  
> **username_2**: I'm under the impression that even the existence of the CMDG is a source of minor controversy.  If it exists (as a galaxy) it will be irregular and I'm not sure the word "center" applies here.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Yes, as I mentioned, I do appreciate that if it ever is a galaxy, it is irregular; however, even such irregular galaxies, I believe, contain smaller groups of star clusters which may all be centred around an older black hole. Of course, that would not technically be a 'galactic centre', but that would still be pretty cool.  
> **username_3**: Just to note: even supermassive black holes are only small fractions of the mass of a galaxy, even a dwarf galaxy. The bodies within the galaxy orbit, overall, each other - their center of gravity, that is.  
> **username_4**: ‘even if a regular one exists so that it's the centre to the galaxy’ makes no sense. A “regular” stellar BH has the same mass as a “regular” star, and there’s plenty of these at the centre of any galaxy. In any case, a stellar BH in CMDG would be exceedingly hard to detect.  

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## 0 answers

