The Galactic Nucleus The nucleus of our galaxy contains Population II type stars. The position of the nucleus was determined by Harlow Shapley. He found the center by plotting the X, Y, and Z coordinates of globular clusters. It lies in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. Here is what the sky looks like in the direction toward the center. The prominent feature which identifies the location of the center is called SagA* (which is pronounced Sagittarius A star). Let’s zoom in and take a look! The very center of the nucleus is thought to harbor a supermassive black hole. Here is an animation that suggests the appearance of such an object. Here is a brief video from Fraser Cain that describes the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.