Could Dark Matter Be the Real Heart of the Milky Way?

Astronomers are rethinking the Milky Way’s centre: the long-held view that a supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A*) sits at the heart may be challenged by a fermionic dark matter core that could explain the observed stellar motions and even mimic the black hole’s shadow. Distinguishing the scenarios hinges on precise orbital precession measurements, which future upgrades like GRAVITY+ and the Extremely Large Telescope (and next-gen EHT observations) could enable. If verified, the idea would reshape galactic dynamics and dark matter physics, forcing a rethink of how galaxies host and regulate their centres.