CND in the emission of CO(6–5), observed with the CHAMP⁺ receiver at APEX. The CO intensity (color map in K km s^-1, in T_mb) was integrated between  −150 and 150 km s^-1. The angular resolution of the map is 9.5′′. VLA 6cm radio continuum (contours, Yusef-Zadeh & Morris 1987) shows ionized gas in the “mini-spiral” near SgrA^∗. The map is centered on SgrA^∗ (red star), (EQ J2000) 17°45′39.9′′,  −29^h00^m28.1^s. The two circles denote the southern (CND-S) and northern (CND-N) emission maxima toward which our excitation studies are performed, at offsets of (−20′′,    −30′′) and (25′′, 40′′). The diameter of the circles corresponds to the beam of GREAT at the frequency of the CO(11–10) transition (22.5′′).