An international team of astronomers has detected the first microblazar known to exist in the Milky Way. The team included researchers from ASTRON, JIVE, the University of Amsterdam, and other institutions.
A microblazar is a stellar system composed of a massive star and a black hole, with a jet that happens to be pointed almost directly at Earth. This alignment is what allowed the team to spot the system.
Because the jet is aimed our way, the microblazar offers a rare opportunity to study particle acceleration up close. The astronomers suggest it may be the source of the fastest particles in the galaxy.