The Black Hole Blog

Black Holes: A Universal Mystery

2008-11-17T04:55:00.000-08:00

Imagine a force so powerful that not even light can escape its grasp. Hard to imagine? It exists in the form of a black hole. The gravitational field of a black hole can pull in light and just about anything else that makes it past its event horizon. Black holes are called such because since it can absorb visible light, its interior is rendered invisible and indistinguishable from the space around it. It can be seen depending upon the orbiting matter that is interacting with it outside its event horizon. Telescopes have detected gas spiraling in a black hole after emitting large amounts of radiation.

John Michell first came up with the idea that an object could have such a strong gravity force in 1783. Michell’s belief coincided with French physicist Pierre-Simon Laplace’s belief about such forces. Black holes theoretically work under Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In other words, when a large amount of mass is present in a suitably small part of space, all paths through space warp inward toward the center of its volume, and matter and radiation cannot escape it.

There is more than one type of black hole. They are categorized as solutions to Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The simplest black hole is called the Schwarzschild black hole, named after physicist Karl Schwarzschild. These black holes have mass but neither charge nor angular momentum. In the 20th Century, the Reissner-Nordström solution was discovered. This black hole has an electrical charge. The Kerr Solution black hole rotates in space. The Kerr-Newman metric black hole has both an electrical charge and angular momentum.

Most people seem to think black hole suck in everything around it. That is not exactly true. Based on the Schwarzschild solution, it means there is no difference observable to human eyes or telescopes between a black hole and an object of the same mass once it is in the empty space outside an object. Its external gravitational field is the same as normal bodies of the same mass.

The size of a black hole can contain up to a billion solar masses. The largest known black hole measures an incredible 18 billion solar masses. Intermediate-mass black are believed to form from collisions of lower mass black holes. Stellar-mass black holes from 1.5-3.0 to 15-20 solar masses. Micro black holes have a mass less than a star. Read more about black holes at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Holes, Mysterious & Fascinating

2008-11-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

Black holes are extremely fascinating to those that love science and astronomy. While black holes are an extremely powerful force in the universe, there is still plenty to be known about this phenomenon. While most of us learn about black holes watching sci-fi movies, TV shows, books, etc black hole science is continuing much needed research to understand this force of nature better.

The Black Hole Phenomenon
Black holes get their name by having an incredibly strong gravitational pull. In fact, there pull is so strong nothing can escape its grasp- not even light. This is why when you look at a black hole out in space, it is pitch black and void of any light. In theory, black holes are dying stars that have run out of energy to continue burning naturally. Instead of being able to push energy out, the energy actually falls back onto the star causing it to implode. As it implodes, it builds up density- becoming more and more dense, the gravitation pull becomes stronger and stronger and hence a black hole is formed.

Read More About Mysterious Black Holes
If you are fascinated with black holes, you should definitely visit Smithsonian Magazines main website. They currently have an interesting article on the subject. You can read it by visiting the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Facts About Black Holes

2008-10-27T03:17:00.001-07:00

Black holes are incredible phenomenon and while most are thousands upon thousands of light years away from Earth, we can easily find them in a whole host of movies, TV shows, books, etc. If you are fascinated by black holes, you should definitely visit the Smithsonian Magazine site to read the current article on the subject.

What is a Black Hole?
For those that are not that familiar with black holes, these phenomenons are extremely interesting and incredibly powerful. In fact, their true power is very difficult to comprehend, because they border on the most powerful forces in the universe. Black holes were once stars- similar to our sun. These stars burnt up all of their fuel and are no longer able to complete nuclear reactions. Stars in this phase can no longer push out energy and since stars have their own gravity and are extremely dense, they start to push inwards onto themselves- forcing the star to implode.

Creating an Immense Force
When a star implodes onto itself, an amazing amount of gravitational force creates an incredibly dense object. This once super large star- usually much bigger than our sun is now extremely small-perhaps even smaller than our planet and this denseness creates incredible forces of gravity. As a particle becomes so dense, the gravitational force also becomes stronger. This is why black holes have tremendous pull on objects surrounding it. In fact, the gravitational pull of a black hole is so intense that nothing near it can escape- even light. Since light can’t escape the gravitation pull, the black hole now seems like a black void from far away- hence the name black hole.

Where are Black Holes Located?
Black holes in theory have been known for a little more than 200 years and while it has only been recently that scientists and astronomers could physically see black holes with telescopes much research has been done on this phenomenon. Black holes can be found throughout our universe and while for a long time it was believed that our galaxy was home to a black hole, the evidence to support this theory only recently became available.

Read More About Black Holes
If you are fascinated about black holes, you will find the article at Smithsonian Magazine extremely interesting. Whether you are a sci-fi fan or love astronomy, there is plenty to learn about black holes. To read the article about black holes please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

Cleopatra, Forbidden City, Black Holes, Diane Arbus

Space & Black Holes

2008-10-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Black holes are one of the most mysterious phenomenons in the universe. While a major theme plot (and some say character) in many science fiction TV shows, movies and books, black holes are real- yet mostly understood. For those that are interested in science and incredible forces which are inherent in black holes the Smithsonian Magazine has an article on the subject that should not be missed.

What is a Black Hole?
Black holes are extremely intriguing, because they are incredibly powerful and so little is known about them. A black hole is point in space that has a concentration of mass that is extremely dense. When an object is extremely dense- far denser than any imaginable object such as lead, the gravitation pull is extremely strong. With black holes, we are talking about objects that are much denser than average size planets in the space that is taken up in a grain of sand. This amazingly powerful gravitational force that is generated by this mass is so strong that it not only pulls objects to it, but nothing can escape its grasp- not even light. Because light can not escape a black hole’s grasp, the area of space is devoid of any visible object and hence called a black hole.

How is a Black Hole Formed?
Most scientists suggest that black holes are formed by once thriving suns that have died out (they have run out of energy and can not continue to burn normally) and in essence implode onto itself. The process of a star dying out can take literally billions of years, however a black hole can be formed in a split second chemical reaction.

Where are Black Holes Located?
Scientists know of quite a few black holes in the universe and while for a long time black holes were not evident in our galaxy (the Milky Way) recent evidence suggests that even our galaxy is home to a black hole. While the theory of black holes goes back to the late 1700’s, it has only been recently that black holes can be easily studied. With new and improved digital telescopes and the power to crunch lots of data, more and more research and information is now known about one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

Read More About Black Holes
For those that are interested in science, space and black holes, the Smithsonian Magazine has an intriguing article on the subject. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Black Holes of the Universe

2008-10-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

If you are into science and space one phenomenon that is absolutely incredible and intriguing are black holes. While black holes are widely portrayed in science fiction TV shows, movies and books they are still relatively unknown to scientists and astronomers. These incredible forces of nature are located at the far reaches of the universe and with new technology we are just beginning to crack the surface of how these phenomenons behave.

Black Holes
Black holes are some of the most powerful forces in nature. Once a star like our sun, when this star runs out of fuel to burn, it basically implodes onto itself and becomes extremely dense. As the density of this star increases exponentially, the gravitational force becomes extremely strong- so strong in fact that not even light can escape a black hole's grasp and thus a black hole seems like a giant void from a distance.

Where are Black Holes Located?
The idea and theory of black holes came about in the late 1700’s and as technology developed more and more research has been done. Today, we know of many black holes in the universe, however it wasn’t till recently that a black hole in our very galaxy (the Milky Way) was found.

Read More About Black Holes
The Smithsonian Magazine offers an article regarding black holes for all science, space and sci-fi enthusiasts. To read it, please visit our main website at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Hole Facts

2008-09-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

If you are into science, astronomy or even science fiction, you probably are amazed at the phenomenon called black holes. Black holes by their very name convey mystery and intrigue and while man has theorized about the existence of black holes since the late 1700’s, we are still a long way off to knowing precisely what black holes are and how they behave today.

What is a Black Hole?
One of the questions most people have about black holes is exactly what they are. Black holes are theorized to be areas of space in which the gravitational field is so strong and powerful that nothing can escape and break passed its grasp. In fact, black holes show up as completely void areas of space, because not even light can escape the strong gravitational forces. It is believed that a black hole is caused by a large star imploding onto itself creating tremendous density and thus incredibly strong gravitation forces.

The Life of a Black Hole
Black holes as stated above are caused by a large star- much larger than our own sun imploding. These large stars run out of fuel which is necessary for nuclear reaction. Unfortunately, as the star runs out of fuel, the effect of normally pushing energy out is outweighed by its own gravity which continues to grow exponentially until the star incredibly crushes itself. It crushes itself to such a degree that its mass becomes super dense creating incredible forces of gravity that do not let anything escape its force. It should be noted that a black hole does not last for ever, while it does not allow light to escape, x-ray radiation is emitted and eventually black holes become smaller and smaller till eventually they disappear.

Where are Black Holes Located?
One of the most noticeable aspects of black holes is that they usually can be easily located due to the fact that they are completely void areas of space. Black holes have been located throughout our universe in several galaxies. It was theorized that there was even a black hole in our galaxy- the Milky Way, however for a long period of time the evidence was not complete. Recently however, a black hole was discovered in our own galaxy- actually in the center turning many astronomers’ theories on their heads.

For more information regarding black holes, the Smithsonian Magazine has a fascinating article on the subject. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

Benjamin Franklin, Wrigley Field, Black Holes, Diane Arbus

Black Holes: A Scientific Phenomenon

2008-09-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

If you are remotely into science, one phenomenon that is a constant draw of much theory and thought is the black hole. Black holes are one of the most powerful forces in the universe and while little is known about these incredible wonders, this fact hasn’t stopped most of the top science fiction writers, TV series and movies to insert them into plenty of story lines. No matter what type of science fiction show you watch these days, a black hole is bound to pop up somewhere during the season.

The Truth About Black Holes
Black holes are a phenomenon that are still largely unknown. Today, thousands of scientists study these immense objects and continue to theorize on how they are created, their powerful forces and where they are located. Since black holes are believed to be stars that have imploded onto themselves, the shear force they create is strong enough that nothing can escape their gravitational force- not even light. With no light to escape, black holes are black voids in space. For a long time it was uncertain whether there was a black hole in our galaxy (the Milky Way), however, recently new evidence has been examined and now many in the field believe that one does exist in our galaxy- a big surprise to many.

Read More About Black Holes
For those interested in black holes, the Smithsonian Magazine has a fantastic article on the subject. You can read about it at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Hole: Scientific Intrigue

2008-08-31T14:16:00.001-07:00

If you are into science and astronomy, you probably are amazed at the power and the phenomenon of mysterious black holes. Black holes are perhaps one of the most powerful forces in the universe and currently a relatively unknown entity. If you are a fan of black holes, the Smithsonian Magazine is featuring an interesting article on the subject.

Whether you are watching Star Trek, Star Wars or any other sci-fi TV series or movie, the power and phenomena of black holes usually make their way into the script. Black holes get their names from being so powerful that even light can’t escape their strong gravitational force. It is believed that when a powerful star implodes, it becomes so small, yet so dense it creates these incredible gravitational forces that are hard for us to conceive.

While we have been able to view black holes in other nearby galaxies, many scientists did not find clear proof that a black hole was present in ours (the Milky Way). However, recently, evidence has been found that suggests a black hole resides quite close to earth. For those that love science and astronomy and are intrigued by the power of black holes, visit Smithsonian Magazine today to read more about this phenomenon. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Holes: A Cosmic Reality

2008-08-17T16:44:00.001-07:00

For science fiction lovers, one phenomenon that seems to always appear in a series story line is the infamous black hole. Black holes while consistently used in science fiction movies, TV series, books, etc are real. While many people including scientists have trouble fathoming the incredible energy black holes have, these still little known phenomenons are slowly becoming more and more understood.

The Phenomenon of the Black Hole
A black hole is usually defined as an area of space in which the gravitational pull is so strong, nothing can escape its grasp- including light, making these regions pitch black. Many science fiction fans might be wondering if nothing can escape from a black hole and the hole itself is invisible, how do we know where black holes are? The less complicated answer to this question is that even though black holes are invisible and hold everything in their grasp, the surrounding area of a black hole does hint to their existence in the form of radiation, as well as being able to be tracked using the stars as a background.

What Causes a Black Hole?
A black hole is an incredibly powerful phenomenon, basically beyond our comprehension, however it is believed that black holes originate from large stars that collapse on themselves. There are several types of black holes and black holes do vary in size. However, the strongest and most powerful black holes are called supermassive black holes- they exert the most energy and have the strongest grasp on the surrounding objects.

For a long time, it was believed that the phenomena of black holes were not found in our galaxy, however for several decades more and more evidence has suggested that there is in fact a black hole located in the center of our galaxy (the Milky Way). This new information has excited scientists and astronomers due to the fact that being so close; they can be studied more easily.

If you are intrigued by black holes and the science surrounding them, Smithsonian Magazine offers an incredibly fascinating article about black holes. To read our article, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Holes are Amazing

2008-08-07T02:11:00.001-07:00

Black holes are not just science fiction. While many of your favorite science fiction shows feature black holes prominently, these strange and very little understood phenomenon are real. How real? Well scientists now believe that there is evidence to state that there is a black hole in our very own galaxy- the Milky Way.

For those that love science and looking up at the stars, searching for a black hole with both the naked eye and powerful telescopes is next to impossible due to the fact that black holes are practically invisible. The force of a black holes gravity, which is caused by a star imploding upon itself, is so strong that not even light can escape its grasp. Because of this feature, black holes can usually not be found with traditional methods.

It was for a very long time believed that while black holes may exist, that the odds of a black hole in our galaxy were pretty low. However, with recent research, many scientists now believe one is located in the center of our galaxy. If you are fascinated by science and black holes, the Smithsonian Magazine has an excellent article on the subject. To read it in full, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

Daredevil, Parthenon, Black Holes, Diane Arbus.

Black Holes a Scientific Mystery

2008-07-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

Black holes are incredible forces of nature. While most of us know about black holes from what we see in Star Trek or our favorite sci-fi movies, black holes are not fiction to say the least. In fact, black holes are very real and located in almost every galaxy. While these forces of nature are some of the most powerful ever theorized, black holes to many scientists are still a big mystery.

While many scientists are certain of black holes in galaxies far, far away, our own Milky Way Galaxy seemed void of this powerful phenomenon. However, after years of theories and continually building evidence, it is now finally confirmed that in the center of our marvelous galaxy lies the incredible force of a black hole.

If you are like most and find black holes, astronomy and science fiction interesting, you will love Smithsonian Magazine’s article on black holes. You can read the article and discover the many interesting facts regarding this incredible phenomenon and what it means to our own galaxy at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Black Holes in Science Fiction

2008-07-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

There’s something infinitely romantic about the concept of black holes. It’s odd, really, if you think about it. We don’t know much about what’s on the other side of the universe or even our galaxy… but wondering about those things doesn’t capture the imagination with the same intensity as wondering, “what the heck is on the other side of black holes?”

Black holes have been inspiring science fiction writers for decades. They’ve spawned countless adventures in five-penny science fiction magazines and episodes of Star Trek. And they’ve also fueled plenty of novels and feature films. If you’re into science and physics, they can’t help but capture your imagination.

Gateway
Gateway is a Hugo Award winning novel written by Fredeik Pohl in 1977. The title of the novel refers to a hollow asteroid that was used long ago as a space port. A miner named Bob purchases a ticket there, and goes on three separate mining jobs. In the third, Bob gets more than he signed up for: namely, black holes. He and his partner find their two ships in the gravitational grip of a black hole. In order to save one ship, they have to sacrifice the other to the black hole… and Bob ends up on that ship.

Event Horizon
If you’re into science fiction, chances are you’ve seen Event Horizon. If not, you probably didn’t-- the movie bombed at the box office when it premiered in 1997. Despite that, it’s a must-see movie for those interested in black holes. The story revolves around a ship called the Event Horizon (which also refers to the area of space surrounding black holes), which was supposed to use a new sort of gravitational engine (one which could harness energy from black holes) to travel to another galaxy. But something goes wrong on the Event Horizon, and the ship ends up abandoned, floating in space.

You’ll have to see it to know the ending, but… going through black holes and out the other side isn’t very nice for anybody involved.

Exultant
Written in 2004, Exultant is one of the newer books to use the concept of black holes in general and supermassive galaxy-center black holes in particular. For those interested in the science as much as the fiction, much of Exultant spends a lot of time explaining theoretical physics. The book itself is concerned with a strange race of aliens who live on a strange planet at the edge of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy.

To learn more about black holes, visit the Smithsonian Magazine Website at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com There you’ll find plenty of interesting facts about researching these amazing inside-out stars-- in particular the supermassive black holes that live at the center galaxies.

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Incredible Black Holes

2008-07-07T05:31:00.001-07:00

If you grew up in the last 50 years, science fiction movies and TV shows have been a staple of your viewing diet. One of the themes that always seem to pop up is that of the black hole. The black hole has captivated millions with their incredible gravitational force that does not even allow light to escape. Once a huge, old star, a black hole collapses in on itself and becomes one of the most powerful phenomenons in the universe.

While black holes have been found in the far reaches of the universe, it was for a long time thought that our particular galaxy was void of a black hole. Our Milky Way galaxy small compared to others offered no evidence of a large, powerful black hole, however that changed only a few years ago when it was finally confirmed that in the center of our galaxy lies an incredible force- that of a black hole.

For those that are curious in astronomy or science fiction, a black hole in our neighborhood has created immense interest and intrigue. The Smithsonian Magazine has an article regarding these incredibly powerful and mysterious black holes and what it means for one to be in our galaxy. To read more about black holes, please visit our main site at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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The Reality of Black Holes

2008-06-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

Many of us think of black holes as science fiction. In many popular science fiction movies and TV series, the black hole is used in a variety of ways including travel, as a weapon and even as an energy source. With sci-fi using the black hole liberally, it comes as a surprise to many just how real this phenomenon is.

Black holes are areas in space with an incredible gravitational field. In fact, the pull of this gravitational field is so strong- not even light can escape. Black holes are considered to be one of the most powerful phenomena in the universe and for the better part of our century it was thought that our galaxy (the Milky Way) was void of this powerful feature. However, recent data has proven that our galaxy has a black hole of its own.

With a black hole in our galaxy, interest has definitely piqued quite a few scientists and astronomers. Black holes while theoretically mused about are still a big mystery. With new technological innovations and many theories coming to the forefront, there are many questions being asked and much research that must be done.

For those interested in black holes, Smithsonian Magazine has a fascinating article on the subject. You can read it today by visiting our site at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

Daredevil, Black Holes, Benjamin Franklin, Diane Arbus

Mysterious Black Holes

2008-06-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

The concept of black holes has intrigued many science fiction writers and enthusiasts for decades. The idea that a black hole has so much gravitational force that it sucks up everything in its vicinity including all kinds of matter and even light makes it one of the most popular sci-fi concepts in modern books and movies. However, even though black holes are used in plots that are pure fantasy, it should be noted that many scientists are conducting much research about this astronomical phenomenon and its true nature.

One of the most interesting concepts regarding black holes is that there usually is one in the center of every galaxy. While practically every galaxy that was viewed by astronomers showed evidence of a black hole, our own Milky Way galaxy seemed lacking this quality. Our galaxy seemed quite peaceful avoiding strong signs that there was a huge black hole sucking everything in sight with its powerful gravitational force.

However, with careful research and extremely powerful telescopes, an enormous black hole was finally confirmed in 2002. For science and science fiction lovers, this startling revelation makes our own galaxy infinitely much more interesting.

Smithsonian Magazine offers astronomy lovers quite a tour of the black holes in the center of our galaxy as well as interesting features of black holes in general. With so much research done on black holes in recent years, this article should not be missed. Visit the black hole today at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Black Holes: A Cavity at the Center of Our Galaxy

2008-06-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Black holes are one of science fiction lovers’ favorite concepts. Massively powerful, un-seeable spaces that sucks everything --light, matter, gas-- into them like milk through a straw. Fascinating. And the more that astronomers learn about black holes and how they affect our galaxies, the more fascinating they become.

Galaxies and Black Holes
You may imagine that black holes mostly live in the cold-and-empty edges of space. But in fact, black holes are the center of everything. Astronomers have discovered that every major galaxy has a black hole at its center. And while it’s not possible to study black holes sitting somewhere in the cold reaches of space, it is possible to study nearby galaxies-- and the way that black holes affect them. This is the closest scientists have ever gotten to understanding how these mind-bogglingly powerful entities wreak havoc on the space around them.

Our Very Own Black Hole
By studying other galaxies, astronomers were able to determine that supermassive black holes were galaxy-centers. But what about our own Milky Way galaxy? If our galaxy had a black hole of its own, it was a quiet one, not making the huge displays of energy seen by the black holes at the center of other galaxies. With its narrow viewing angle and the thick clouds of dust that gave our galaxy its name, even the massively powerful Hubble telescope wasn’t able to see into the center of the Milky Way.

But astronomers were determined, and in 2002 were able to convince even the most doubtful of the presence of a massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. They did this by super-sharpening photos that tracked the paths of stars at the center of the galaxy. They found that these stars were extremely close to the center of the galaxy, and moving at 20 million miles per hour-- an incredible speed for a star. Black holes were the only answer.

Though they’ve been unable to so far, astronomers hope to soon be able to produce an image of our galaxy’s supermassive black hole by using millimeter wave telescopes. They may have an image of this cavity of space --only ten times the size of our sun but four million times the mass-- in the next ten years.

Already, astronomers are learning some amazing and startling things about how black holes work. One of the most astonishing was the discovery of a huge number of massive young stars which form close to black holes. Where other stars in the galaxy form in calm parts of space, these young stars have inexplicably formed within close reach of massive, super-powerful black holes.

Scientists are learning more and more about black holes every day. To read more about these massive black holes and how they move entire galaxies around them, visit the Smithsonian Magazine website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/