![]() ![]() ![]() The black hole with the same mass as the sun would keep the same gravity as the sun. If a black hole with the same mass as the sun were to replace the sun, Earth would not fall in. The orbit of a black hole would have to be very close to the solar system to affect Earth, which is not likely. ![]() They follow the laws of gravity just like other objects in space. View Larger Image → Could a Black Hole Destroy Earth?īlack holes do not wander around the universe, randomly swallowing worlds. Image Credit: NASA E/PO, Sonoma State University, Aurore Simonnet The black hole is surrounded by a cloud of material that is spiraling into it. This artist's drawing shows a supermassive black hole in the center of a galaxy. Astronomers use this information to learn more about the properties of a black hole. As gas from the accretion disk spirals into the black hole, the gas heats to very high temperatures and releases X-ray light in all directions. Scientific instruments can see this high-energy light.Ī black hole's gravity can sometimes be strong enough to pull off the outer gases of the star and grow a disk around itself called the accretion disk. When a black hole and a star are orbiting close together, high-energy light is produced. If a star is orbiting a certain point in space, scientists can study the star's motion to find out if it is orbiting a black hole. However, scientists can see the effects of its strong gravity on the stars and gases around it. ![]() View Larger Image → If Black Holes Are "Black," How Do Scientists Know They Are There?Ī black hole can not be seen because of the strong gravity that is pulling all of the light into the black hole's center. This image of Sagittarius A in the center of the Milky Way galaxy was taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The size of the supermassive black hole is related to the size and mass of the galaxy it is in. Scientists think supermassive black holes formed at the same time as the galaxy they are in. This collapse also causes a supernova, or an exploding star, that blasts part of the star into space. Stellar black holes form when the center of a very massive star collapses in upon itself. Primordial black holes are thought to have formed in the early universe, soon after the big bang. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the sun. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. Scientific evidence suggests that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses greater than 1 million suns combined and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the solar system. Scientific evidence shows that in the center of the Milky Way is a supermassive black hole. Dozens of stellar mass black holes may exist within the Milky Way galaxy.Īn artist's drawing shows the current view of the Milky Way galaxy. The most common type of medium-sized black holes is called "stellar." The mass of a stellar black hole can be up to 20 times greater than the mass of the sun and can fit inside a ball with a diameter of about 10 miles. Scientists believe this type of black hole is as small as a single atom but with the mass of a large mountain. The smallest ones are known as primordial black holes. The black hole's mass and size determine what kind it is. They can observe the behavior of material and stars that are very close to black holes.īlack holes can come in a range of sizes, but there are three main types of black holes. However, space telescopes with special instruments can help find black holes. Some black holes are a result of dying stars.īecause no light can escape, black holes are invisible. This compression can take place at the end of a star's life. The strong gravity occurs because matter has been pressed into a tiny space. Image Credit: NASA E/PO, Sonoma State University, Aurore SimonnetĪ black hole is a region in space where the pulling force of gravity is so strong that light is not able to escape. An artist's drawing shows a large stellar-mass black hole pulling gas away from a companion star. ![]()
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