Abstract:
The center of our galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole. It is also home to a number of stars that orbit surprisingly close to the black hole. I will describe how these stars got into such unexpected orbits, what new science they can teach us, and how we may be able to find even more of them. I will also discuss the possibility of planets around the innermost region of the Milky Way, why this is exciting and important, and how we might be able to detect them.

Host: Brendan Griffen