archive / atlas record
Gaia BH1
A nearby dark companion inferred from a Sun-like star's motion.
- classification
- Dormant stellar-mass black hole candidate
- system
- Binary star system
Gaia BH1 was identified through the orbit of its visible companion rather than bright X-ray emission, illustrating how quiet black holes can be found. Its mass (~9.8 solar masses) is derived from orbital modelling of the visible star, not a direct measurement.
- Class
- Dormant stellar-mass black hole candidate
- Location / system
- Binary star system
- Distance
- About 1,560 light-years from Earth (astrometric distance, ±10 ly)
Only values with an established scientific consensus are listed. Where a quantity is uncertain or model-dependent, it is discussed in the sections below rather than stated as data.
Overview (starter entry, expanded review pending)
Gaia BH1 was identified through the orbit of its visible companion rather than bright X-ray emission, illustrating how quiet black holes can be found. Its mass (~9.8 solar masses) is derived from orbital modelling of the visible star, not a direct measurement.
Gravity and high-energy observation
Gaia BH1 is inferred from the motion and radiation of surrounding matter. Mass estimates are model-dependent rather than direct pictures of an interior.
- What remains least constrained about Gaia BH1?Composition, internal structure, formation history or local environment can require different observations and may remain model-dependent.
Items above are unresolved. Hypotheses are labelled as such and are not presented as confirmed findings.
NASA/IPAC // verified 28 September 2026
CDS Strasbourg // verified 28 September 2026