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black hole
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Introduction & Top Questions References & Edit History Related Topics
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black hole in M87 black hole
NASA animation: sizing up the biggest black holes
Uncover insight into the black hole
black holes
dust disk around black hole in NGC 4261 stellar evolution
What are gravitational waves and how were they first detected?
How are gravitational waves applied in science and in everyday life?
Know about the discovery of gravitational waves and their role in unlocking secrets of the universe
For Students
black hole summary
Quizzes
View of the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31, M31).
Astronomy and Space Quiz
The orbits of the planets and other elements of the solar system, including asteroids, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, comet
Space Odyssey
1 July 2002: The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite reveals a massive solar eruption more than 30 times the Earth's diameter. The eruption formed when a loop of a magnetic field over the surface of the Sun trapped hot gas.
Brightest Star in the Solar System
Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
All About Astronomy
M101 (NGC 5457, The Pinwheel Galaxy). Hubble Space Telescope image of face-on spiral galaxy Messier 101 (M101). Largest most detailed photo of a spiral galaxy that has ever been released from Hubble. Created from 1994-2003
Everything in Space in a 25-Minute Quiz
Related Questions
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The merger of two black holes and the gravitational waves that ripple outward as the black holes spiral toward each other. The black holes-which represent those detected by LIGO on Dec. 26, 2015-were 14 and 8 times the mass of the sun, until they merged,
How Do Black Holes Really Work?
Discover
Saint Lucia Day. Young girl wears Lucia crown (tinsel halo) with candles. Holds Saint Lucia Day currant laced saffron buns (lussekatter or Lucia's cats). Observed December 13 honor virgin martyr Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). Luciadagen, Christmas, Sweden
7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World
Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket
Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?
Close-up of ostriches (Struthio camelus) necks and heads; location unknown.
6 of the World's Most Dangerous Birds
Fish. Lionfish. Lion-fish. Turkey fish. Fire-fish. Red lionfish. Pterois volitans. Venomous fin spines. Coral reefs. Underwater. Ocean. Red lionfish swims by seaweed.
10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish
Facsimile of one of William Henry Ireland's forgeries, a primitive self-portrait of William Shakespeare(tinted engraving). Published for Samuel Ireland, Norfolk Street, Strand, December 1, 1795. (W.H. Ireland, forgery)
The Time a Law Clerk Successfully Forged a New Shakespeare Play to Impress His Dad
Panama Canal infographic
Timeline and Map of the Panama Canal
A mug shot taken by the regional Colombia control agency in Medellin
Pablo Escobar: 8 Interesting Facts About the King of Cocaine
black hole in M87
black hole in M87 Black hole at the center of the massive galaxy M87, about 55 million light-years from Earth, as imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). The black hole is 6.5 billion times more massive than the Sun. This picture was the first direct visual evidence of a supermassive black hole and its shadow. The ring is brighter on one side because the black hole is rotating, and thus material on the side of the black hole turning toward Earth has its emission boosted by the Doppler effect. The shadow of the black hole is about five and a half times larger than the event horizon, the boundary marking the black hole's limits, where the escape velocity is equal to the speed of light. Created from data collected in 2017, this picture was released in 2019.

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Top Questions

What is a black hole?

What is the structure of a black hole?

How is a black hole formed?

What are some examples of black holes?

black hole, cosmic body of extremely intense gravity from which nothing, not even light, can escape. A black hole can be formed by the death of a massive star. When such a star has exhausted the internal thermonuclear fuels in its core at the end of its life, the core becomes unstable and gravitationally collapses inward upon itself, and the star’s outer layers are blown away. The crushing weight of constituent matter falling in from all sides compresses the dying star to a point of zero volume and infinite density called the singularity. Details of the structure of a black ...(100 of 783 words)

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