Astronomers at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory have discovered the first star flung out of the Milky Way, speeding away at over 1.5 million miles per hour. This tremendous speed likely resulted from a close encounter with the massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. The so-called outcast star is shown in its current location in the distant outskirts of the Milky Way. Credit: Ruth Bazinet, CfA
