Tag: expand

The enigmatic nature of black holes continues to fascinate us, even as our understanding of them grows. The discovery of the first black hole, Cygnus X-1, in 1971 marked a significant milestone in our exploration of these cosmic phenomena. Black holes are not uncommon in the universe, with Sagittarius A* residing at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. These massive entities, such as Sagittarius A*, possess millions of times more mass than our Sun and are found in many galaxies of similar size. Contrary to their name, black holes are not empty voids but rather incredibly dense objects with gravity so intense that even light cannot escape. The distinctive image of a black hole features a luminous ring encircling a dark center, known as the accretion disk, which becomes bright and hot due to its rapid rotation around the black hole. Image: NASA/ESA/Hubble Space Telescope Despite popular misconceptions, black holes do not function as cosmic vacuum cleaners. While their gravitational pull is immense, celestial bodies can orbit them much like they do other stars. Some black holes are formed from the collapse of stars, rather than consuming everything in their vicinity. The interior of a black hole remains a mystery, as any matter crossing its Event Horizon would undergo a process known as spaghettification, where it is stretched and compressed into a noodle-like shape. Through various imaging techniques such as x-rays and ultraviolet wavelengths, scientists can identify black holes and observe phenomena like the merging of two black holes, which creates ripples in space-time. The origins of the massive black holes found at the centers of galaxies are still being investigated. One method of locating black holes involves observing the rapid orbits of stars around invisible objects. Cygnus X-1, for example, was identified by its accretion disk visible in X-rays, formed by material stolen from a nearby star. While the black hole at the center of our galaxy poses no immediate threat, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027, will help track rogue black holes by detecting warped starlight caused by their gravitational influence. This article is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we explore intriguing questions from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Have a burning question? Ask us!

Tag: expand

Can the black hole in the center of our galaxy expand to our solar system?

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