This image shows the center of our Galaxy in a 2 by 2 degree field
as observed with the IBIS/ISGRI instrument onboard INTEGRAL in the
energy range from 20 to 40 keV. The contour lines show significance
levels increasing from 4 to 15 sigma. Clearly visible is a new source
coincident with the Galactic Nucleus Sgr A* to within 0.9 arc minutes.
This source is visible up to about 100 keV.
This new INTEGRAL source is the first report of hard X-ray emission
from the central 10 arc minutes of the galaxy. Although other sources
within this region might contribute, there is a distinct possibility
that we are seeing hard X-ray emission from the supermassive black hole
at the center of our Galaxy for the first time. The results are described
in a paper by Bélanger et al. (submitted to Astrophysical Journal; Oct. 2003).
Courtesy: G. Bélanger, A. Goldwurm, P. Goldoni (IBIS team/CEA-Saclay) et al.
