ABSTRACT

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ABSTRACT: It is now amply demonstrated that the Galactic Center is not presently the site of an AGN, yet it appears to have many of the ingredients we believe make up an active nucleus. Do these ingredients indicate that the GC had a significant level of activity in the past, and/or that it may show activity in the future? From the details we see in the GC, what can we learn about the conditions in other galactic nuclei that may lead to flaring of AGNs? How common are the conditions we see in the GC, as deduced from a careful evaluation of the nuclei in Local Group galaxies? In particular, does the bright blue nucleus in M33 indicate an ultra-compact population of young stars, with a resemblance in some way to the compact cluster of massive, young stars around Sgr A*?