Black holes are the bellybuttons of galaxies
What is this blurry frootloop looking ring of fire?
An eclipse? The top of an active volcano? A donut in the fryer?
If you answered a black hole- congratulations!
Perhaps you are aware of the milestone associated with this 2019 image; this is the first-ever picture of a black hole. To be more specific, this is an image of a black hole in the center of the M87 galaxy.
What am I looking at?
The black hole is the black dot in the centre, and the light around it are the stars nearby the black hole, illuminating it from behind. Black holes are places where gravity has an incredibly intense pull. This pull causes black holes to be invisible. Due to this gravitational force, stars nearby act differently. The black hole bends the star's light and catches the light that gets too close to escape. Moreover, black holes are so strong that they can pull stars into their orbit. Being able to document such a mammoth-like force that is both invisible and immensely powerful is a huge feat for humanity.
Full disclaimer: black holes are a mystery that everyone from Albert Einstein to Stephen Hawking has tackled. There remain many unknowns about black holes. With that said, it is currently believed that different black holes are the result of different causes.
Let's break these down:
Small black holes: these are thought to be formed with the creation of the universe. The fascinating twist with these black holes is that though they can be as small as an atom, they can uphold the mass of a mountain. By ‘mass’ we’re referring to the ‘stuff’ inside of the black hole.
Stellar black holes: these are created when a big star implodes on itself and collapses. This is called a supernova. These have 20 times the mass of the sun. In Earth’s galaxy, aka the Milky Way, there are many stellar black holes.
Supermassive black holes: the name says it all. These have 1 million times the mass of the sun and form from a dying star, just like stellar black holes. Supermassive black holes are at the center of each galaxy. The supermassive black hole of Earth’s galaxy is Sagittarius A. This black hole specifically has a mass of 4 million suns. The black hole in the image from galaxy M87 has a mass of 6.5 million suns.
Should I be worried about black holes sucking in planet Earth?
We humans on Earth are not close enough to a black hole for it to be a genuine concern. Phew!
Still can’t picture how black holes work?
As mentioned, black holes are an ongoing mystery, so here are some sources to help wrap your head around the mechanics of black holes.
-VR simulation of supermassive black hole
-Physics Girl breaks down new black hole discovery
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