TOPICSBlack Hole
Black Hole
A black hole is a place in space where gravity is so strong that it pulls so much. Even electromagnetic radiation such as light cannot escape it; because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes.
The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This compression happens when a star is dying. The death of a massive star can form a black hole.
Black holes were predicted by Einstein’s most famous theory of general relativity, which showed that when a massive star dies, it leaves behind a small, dense remnant core. If the core’s mass is more than about three times the mass of the Sun, the equations show that the force of gravity overwhelms all other forces and creates a black hole.
Exotic black holes: A byproduct of dark matter
The universe may have sprouted microscopic black holes with enormous amounts of nuclear charge.
“Plunging regions” exist around black holes in space
Einstein’s theory predicted that this final plunge would exist.
Most distant black hole merger to date observed
The first time that this phenomenon has been detected so early in the Universe.
NASA’s Chandra notices venting galactic center
The chimney and vent are about 26,000 light-years from Earth.
Hubble captures a galaxy with a voracious Black Hole
The galaxy NGC 4951 is a fascinating example of a Seyfert galaxy.
Astronomers observe elusive stellar light surrounding ancient quasars
The observations suggest some of earliest “monster” black holes grew from massive cosmic seeds.
Advancing gravitational wave detection: Probing neutron star and black hole collisions
Alerts can now be sent less than 30 seconds after detection.
Astronomers Discover Most Massive Stellar Black Hole in Our Galaxy
A discovery by astronomers from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission has revealed the most massive stellar black hole ever found in the Milky...
Astrophysicists traced the violent journeys of stars orbiting our galaxy’s central black hole
Stellar collisions produce strange, zombie-like survivors.
Astronomers observed jets of matter being expelled 3X the speed of light
‘Cosmic Cannibals’ expel jets into space at 40% speed of light.
A large black hole that “hiccups,” giving off plumes of gas
Persistent “hiccups” in a far-off galaxy draw astronomers to new black hole behavior.
Strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of the Milky Way’s central black hole
Strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes