Circinus galaxy CRIRES observations

The dynamical mass, which is spatially unresolved with the spectroastrometric method, is a factor ~2 smaller, 7.9^+1.4^_-1.1_x10^6^M_{sun}_, indicating that spectroastrometry has been able to spatially resolve the nuclear mass distribution down to 2 pc scales. This unresolved mass is still a factor ~4.5 larger than the BH mass measurement obtained with the H_2_O maser emission, indicating that even with spectroastrometry, it has not been possible to resolve the sphere of influence of the BH.

Based on literature data, this spatially unresolved dynamical mass distribution is likely dominated by warm molecular gas and has been tentatively identified with the circum-nuclear torus that prevents a direct view of the central BH in Circinus. This mass distribution, with a size of ~2pc, is similar in shape to that of the star cluster of the Milky Way, suggesting that a molecular torus, forming stars at a high rate, might be the earlier evolutionary stage of the nuclear star clusters that are common in late-type spirals.