--- title: "Star S301 orbits Milky Way’s black hole at 25,000 km/s, fastest ever recorded" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/tech/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/tech/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded" category: "Science & Tech" area: "Asia-Pacific" published: "2026-08-19T15:46:17.279Z" source_reported: "2026-08-19T15:16:01.655Z" updated: "2026-08-19T16:15:06.221Z" trust_score: 70 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-19T17:03:01.824888+00:00" --- # Star S301 orbits Milky Way’s black hole at 25,000 km/s, fastest ever recorded *Discovery could allow first direct measurement of a black hole’s spin within a decade, scientists say* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 70 of 100, higher is better. AP report names two named sources and a direct journal citation. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. AP report quotes affected scientists and names next steps. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are measured; digests are neutral summaries. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The star S301 orbits the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole at 25,000 km/s, the highest speed recorded for any star in the galaxy. - S301 completes an orbit every 8.7 years, closer to the black hole than any previously observed star. - Scientists say the star’s proximity could allow them to measure the black hole’s spin within about a decade. - No right-rated outlet reported the discovery, though it was covered by five left-rated and seven centre-rated outlets. Astronomers have discovered the fastest known star in the Milky Way, orbiting the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole at 25,000 kilometres per second. The star, designated S301, completes a full orbit every 8.7 years, closer to the black hole than any star previously observed. Its speed is approximately 8% the speed of light, as reported by Live Science. The star was identified using data from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile. The findings were published on 19 August 2026 in the journal Nature. Astronomers say S301’s orbit is so tight that it could enable the first direct measurement of the black hole’s spin, a property that has so far eluded observation. The black hole, known as Sagittarius A*, has a mass 4.3 million times that of the Sun. Stefan Gillessen of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, a co-author of the study, told the Associated Press that the star is "really, extremely fast". Tuan Do of the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study, said the discovery was "just the tip of the iceberg" and predicted that fainter, faster stars may yet be found. The five left-rated digests led on the star’s record-breaking speed. Associated Press, whose full report was published, described S301 as "the fastest known star in our galaxy" and quoted Gillessen’s remark that it was "really, extremely fast". Spiegel’s digest noted the star’s speed of 25,000 km/s and said it could soon allow researchers to measure the black hole’s rotation "directly for the first time". Helsingin Sanomat’s digest explained the speed as a result of the star’s close orbit around the black hole. The seven centre-rated digests focused on the scientific implications of the discovery. Live Science’s digest led with the star’s potential to measure the black hole’s spin, calling it "the closest, fastest star ever seen" and noting its speed as 8% the speed of light. Science News and Popular Science both framed the star as a test of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Rutland Herald’s digest described the star as harnessing the black hole’s gravity to "fly faster without falling in". None of the digests from right-rated outlets mentioned the discovery. The left-rated digests did not include the star’s designation, S301, which was reported by Live Science, Spiegel and Heise. The centre-rated digests did not quote the scientists involved, unlike the Associated Press report. ## Who covered it Shares of the 28 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 44% (12) - Centre: 49% (14) - Right: 7% (2) 9 of 37 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-19T17:03:01.824888+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 2 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-19T17:30:07.143Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - All six left-rated outlets reported that a star designated S301 orbits the Milky Way’s central black hole at 25,000 kilometres per second, the highest speed recorded for any star in the galaxy. Five of the six led with this figure. - Spiegel and Helsingin Sanomat added that the star’s proximity to the black hole may allow direct measurement of the black hole’s rotation. Spiegel specified this could happen soon. The Associated Press report included the orbital period of 8.7 years and noted the star is ten times closer to the black hole than the previous record holder. - The Associated Press quoted astronomer Stefan Gillessen calling the star “extremely fast” and Tuan Do saying the discovery is “just the tip of the iceberg”. No other left-rated digest or report mentioned these researchers or their statements. ### Centre - Centre-rated outlets led on the star S301 reaching 25,000 kilometres per second, the fastest speed recorded for a star orbiting the Milky Way’s central black hole. All seven reports included the star’s orbital period of 8.7 years and its proximity to the black hole, closer than any previously observed star. - City News, Live Science, and Science News noted the potential to measure the black hole’s spin using S301’s orbit. Live Science and Popular Science specified the star’s designation as S301. The digests from WTVB, Rutland Herald, and Winnipeg Free Press did not mention the star’s name or the spin-measurement potential. - City News quoted astronomer Stefan Gillessen describing the star as “extremely fast” and included commentary from Tuan Do on the likelihood of discovering even faster stars. No other centre-rated outlet included direct quotes from researchers. ### Right No separate framing summary. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 13 - unknown: 10 - veryHigh: 13 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Publico](https://publico.pt/2026/08/19/ciencia/noticia/astronomos-descobrem-estrela-rapida-via-lactea-2185411) — Astronomers Discover the Fastest Star in the Milky Way. - [The Record](https://troyrecord.com/2026/08/19/fastest-star-black-hole) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Science Alert](https://sciencealert.com/the-fastest-star-on-record-has-been-found-hurtling-past-our-galaxys-black-hole) — The Fastest Star on Record Has Been Found Hurtling Past Our Galaxy's Black Hole - [vijesti.me](https://vijesti.me/vijesti/nauka/822787/najbrza-poznata-zvijezda-juri-pod-uticajem-crne-rupe-u-mlijecnom-putu) — The Fastest Known Star Is Hurtling Under the Influence of a Black Hole in the Milky Way - [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/scientists-find-closest-star-to-the-milky-ways-central-black-hole) — Scientists find closest star to the Milky Way's central black hole - [vrt](https://vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2026/08/19/snelste-ster-van-de-melkweg-s301-draait-rond-superzwaar-zwart-ga) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [La Razón](https://larazon.es/ciencia/detectan-estrella-mas-rapida-via-lactea-cien-veces-mas-rapida-que-sol_202608196a85d16671b42a0b5df883dc.html) — They Detect the Fastest Star in the Milky Way: It Is a Hundred Times Faster than the Sun - [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/ciencia/telescopio-avista-la-estrella-mas-rapida-de-la-via-lactea-orbitando-un-hoyo-negro-b3035796.html) — Telescope Views the Fastest Star in the Milky Way Orbiting a Black Hole - [GMA Filipino News](https://gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/999173/fastest-known-star-zooms-under-milky-way-black-hole-s-influence/story) — Fastest-known star zooms under Milky Way black hole's influence - [Issuesfr](https://issues.fr/une-etoile-battant-tous-les-records-pourrait-reveler-la-facon-dont-tourne-le-trou-noir-geant-de-la-voie-lactee) — A Star Breaking All Records Could Reveal How the Giant Black Hole in the Milky Way Turns - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/science/fastest-known-star-zooms-under-milky-way-black-holes-influence-2026-08-19) — Fastest-Known Star Zooms Under Milky Way Black Hole's Influence - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/19/fastest-known-star-zooms-under-milky-way-black-holes-influence) — Fastest-known star zooms under Milky Way black hole’s influence - [n-tv](https://n-tv.de/wissen/Forscher-finden-schnellsten-Stern-der-Milchstrasse-id31209380.html) — Twelfthths of Light Speed: Researchers Find the Fastest Star in the Milky Way - [City News](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/19/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Futura](https://futura-sciences.com/sciences/actualites/trou-noir-test-decisif-theorie-einstein-trou-noir-geant-voie-lactee-fait-tourbillonner-espace-temps-137086) — "A Decisive Test of Einstein's Theory": the Giant Black Hole of... - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [RTVI](https://rtvi.com/news/zvezda-chernaya-dyra) — Astronomers Found a Way to Measure the Rotation of the Black Hole in the Center of the Milky Way. - [Vísir](https://visir.is/g/20262922622d/taka-snuning-a-risasvartholi-med-hjalp-skruggufljotrar-stjornu) — Taking a Spin on a Supermassive Black Hole with the Help of a Spinning Star - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/milky-way-new-york-scientists-nature-very-large-telescope-b3035750.html) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/black-hole-star-sagittarius-milky-way-dafcfb293c33bcfc7999b411a015a0eb) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Rutland Herald](https://rutlandherald.com/ap/national/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole/article_caec855d-0686-5a9b-b5b9-c6cd49632e3a.html) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Enid News & Eagle](https://enidnews.com/region/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole/article_08290d24-2d81-5b67-9daa-cb443fd8ae62.html) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Spiegel](https://spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/astronomie-das-ist-der-schnellste-stern-der-milchstrasse-a-629587dd-5793-4c57-b8bb-f1b71d9e55e9) — Astronomy: This Is the Fastest Star in the Milky Way - [Heise](https://heise.de/news/90-000-000-km-h-Schnellster-Stern-der-Milchstrasse-rast-um-Schwarzes-Loch-Sgr-A-11418977.html) — 90,000,000 Km/h: Fastest Star of the Milky Way Racing Around Black Hole Sgr A* - [Helsingin Sanomat](https://hs.fi/tiede/art-2000012213044.html) — Astronomy | The Fastest Star in Our Home Galaxy Has Been Discovered: Speeds up to 25,000 Kilometers per Second - [Live Science](https://livescience.com/physics-mathematics/astronomers-spot-the-closest-fastest-star-ever-seen-orbiting-our-galaxys-monster-black-hole) — Astronomers spot the closest, fastest star ever seen orbiting our galaxy's monster black hole - [Popular Science](https://popsci.com/science/closest-star-to-milky-way-black-hole-einstein-relativity) — A star spinning at 15,000 miles per second tests Einstein theory of relativity - [Science News](https://sciencenews.org/article/record-breaking-star-black-hole-spin) — A record-breaking star could reveal how the Milky Way’s giant black hole spins - [geo](https://geo.de/wissen/weltall/rekordtempo-im-all--stern-s301-rast-ums-schwarze-loch-38128660.html) — Measurable for the First Time: the Fastest Star of the Milky Way: S301 Racing at Record Speed Around the Black Hole - [Scientific American](https://scientificamerican.com/article/the-milky-ways-fastest-star-could-expose-our-black-holes-spin) — The Milky Way's Fastest Star Could Expose Our Black Hole's Spin - [npr](https://npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5936479/fastest-star-galaxy-black-hole-sagittarius-a-milky-way) — This high-speed star is whipping around the black hole in the middle of our galaxy - [KPBS](https://kpbs.org/news/science-technology/2026/08/19/this-high-speed-star-is-whipping-around-the-black-hole-in-the-middle-of-our-galaxy) — This high-speed star is whipping around the black hole in the middle of our galaxy - [Georgia Public Broadcasting](https://gpb.org/news/2026/08/19/high-speed-star-whipping-around-the-black-hole-in-the-middle-of-our-galaxy) — This high-speed star is whipping around the black hole in the middle of our galaxy - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/news/world/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole/article_24c473f5-4a10-534b-ac44-319953e102c4.html) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole/article_e7decf57-153c-5970-b1bd-4d03fcbaa7f8.html) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/sci-tech/2026/08/19/telescope-spies-the-fastest-star-in-the-milky-way-zipping-around-a-black-hole) — Telescope spies the fastest star in the Milky Way zipping around a black hole - [Nature](https://nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02607-0) — A black hole's spin could finally be measured by a high-speed star ## Questions **How fast is the star S301 moving?** The star S301 orbits the Milky Way’s central black hole at 25,000 kilometres per second, or about 8% the speed of light. This is the fastest speed recorded for any star in the galaxy, as reported by the Associated Press and Live Science. **Why is this star important for scientists?** S301’s tight orbit around the black hole could allow scientists to measure the black hole’s spin for the first time. This would test Einstein’s general theory of relativity and provide new insights into the properties of supermassive black holes, according to digests from Live Science and Science News. **Which outlets reported the discovery?** The discovery was reported by five left-rated outlets, including the Associated Press and Spiegel, and seven centre-rated outlets, such as Live Science and Science News. No right-rated outlet carried the story, as noted in the coverage comparison. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/tech/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Star S301 orbits Milky Way’s black hole at 25,000 km/s, fastest ever recorded", https://mediabias.news/tech/star-s301-orbits-milky-ways-black-hole-at-25000-kms-fastest-ever-recorded