Curious facts about black holes

Welcome to our new post! In this article, I will present to you some interesting facts about black holes. Get ready to learn surprising things about these fascinating objects and impress your friends with these interesting facts.

What is a black hole?

A black hole is an immense amount of matter trapped in a very small space, generating a gravitational field so large that not even light, with the fastest speed we know, can escape. Due to the large amount of mass and the small volume it occupies, they are quite dense. After this collapse, time slows down in relation to distant observers, freezing these objects in time.

How are black holes formed?

Einstein's theory of relativity predicted that massive stars, when they die in a supernova explosion, leave behind a very dense core. If this core has three times the mass of our Sun, gravity's force surpasses all other forces, and a black hole is formed.

If they attract everything that comes near, how is it possible to study black holes?

They cannot be directly detected by telescopes that detect light, X-rays, or other types of electromagnetic radiation. However, newer telescopes like Hubble and Swift were able to detect strong flashes of light produced by gamma rays, indicating not only the presence of a black hole but also the likely collision with a neutron star. Did you know that the collision between these two objects can give rise to another black hole? In other words, by not allowing light to escape, they are invisible to telescopes. However, the emission of X-rays and gamma rays produced due to the collision of this object with others can be detected. Some ways to detect the presence of black holes include the remains of the destruction they cause when stars approach them, emission of gamma rays, and their ability to induce or inhibit the emergence of stars. They also leave traces as they pass through interstellar matter, attracting matter inward. For this, NASA uses its telescopes and satellites.

Many of us have seen bright images of black holes with rays emanating from them. Did you know that this happens when they devour a star? When hearing about black holes, you might be imagining an object as large as our Sun, but did you know that there are also medium-sized and small ones? NASA scientists believe that supermassive black holes were created approximately at the same time as the galaxy they inhabit.

Do you know what would happen to our planet if the Sun were replaced by a black hole of the same mass? Nothing, because the black hole would exert the same gravitational force on the planets and moons of our solar system, meaning they would orbit the black hole in the same way they orbit the Sun. The distance would not be sufficient to attract Earth. Can our Sun become a black hole? No, because it doesn't have enough size.