Movie 1. (5.3 MB, GIF) The movie shows the orbits of individual stars near the Galactic Centre as measured with high resolution infrared observations. The movie runs from 1992, the initial date of the observations, to the present, and is extrapolated a few years into the future. Time is shown at top left. The star whose track (with error bars) traces a complete ellipse was fitted by Schödel et al [13] to a highly elliptical Keplerian orbit. From the fit they calculated the mass of the supermassive BH to be 3.7 ± 1.5 × 10⁶ M. The inferred position of the BH is shown by the red cross. (Movie courtesy of Reinhard Genzel.)

Movie 2. (332 kB, GIF) The movie shows the orbits of individual stars near the Galactic Centre as measured with high resolution infrared observations. The movie runs from 1995, the initial date of the observations, to the present, and is extrapolated a few years into the future. Time is shown at top left. By combining the stellar positions with Doppler radial velocity measurements and fitting to Keplerian orbits, Ghez et al [16] refined the mass estimate of the supermassive BH to 3.7 ± 0.2 × 10⁶ M. The inferred position of the BH is shown by the stationary *ast; at the centre. (Movie courtesy of Andrea Ghez.)

Movie 3. (4.4 MB, MPEG) The movie shows the simulated image of a turbulent accretion disk heated by the dissipation of magnetic fields. The dark region at the centre is the inner boundary of the simulation, which is at a radius of 2R_S. During the sequence the view changes from almost face-on (i=1°) to nearly edge-on (i=80°), as indicated by the bar on the right (0° is at the bottom of the bar and 90° at the top). As the inclination increases, note how the emission becomes enhanced to the left of the BH because of Doppler boost. Also, even though the disk is perfectly flat, it appears to be warped upward behind the BH. This is because of the deflection of light rays by the gravity of the BH. (Based on [109]; movie courtesy the authors.)

Movie 4. (2.3 MB, MPEG) The movie shows the variation of the fluorescent iron line in the simulation shown in movie 3. The inclination is held fixed at 80° and the line emissivity is taken to be proportional to the local energy generation rate. Note that the line profile, shown at bottom right, varies rapidly as a result of turbulent fluctuations in the disk. The line extends from about 4 keV on the left to about 7 keV on the right, with a peak at around 6 keV. (Based on [109]; movie courtesy the authors.)

Movie 5. (7.3 MB, AVI) Simulation of a magnetic flux tube accreting onto a maximally rotating BH [104]. The light circle at the center represents the event horizon of the BH, and the shaded region around it is the ergosphere. As the field line is drawn in by the gravity of the BH, it is pulled forward azimuthally by the dragging effect of the BH spin. As a result, some of the plasma near the equatorial plane, shown in red, acquires negative energy as viewed from infinity. When this gas falls into the BH, it effectively reduces the energy and angular momentum of the BH. Correspondingly, electromagnetic and plasma energy is ejected along twin jets that move out parallel to the spin axis of the BH. Koide et al [101] named this the MHD Penrose process of extracting energy from a rotating BH. (Movie from [104, courtesy Brian Punsly.)

Movie 6. (3.8 MB, AVI) Expanded view of the simulation shown in movie 5. Note the dramatic coiled magnetic field in the two outgoing jets. The jets are powered by the spinning BH via the MHD Penrose process. (Movie from [104], courtesy Brian Punsly.)