The first image of the Milky Way’s central black hole and the unique enhancement Africa could offer future tests of gravity

Abstract

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration recently released the first images of the supermassive black hole in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. The ring size and shape in these images are consistent with Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The location of this black hole in southern skies and its rapidly changing appearance mean that expanding the EHT into Africa is critical to optimally utilise this unique gravitational laboratory in the future. Leveraging our southern African geographic advantage will turn images into high-fidelity movies – a game-changing milestone for precision tests of gravity with the next-generation EHT.