A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a
star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can't see black holes, hence the name blackholes.
How Big Are Black Holes?
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Mass is the amount
of matter, or "stuff," in an object.
Another kind of black hole is called "stellar."Its mass can be up to 20 times more than the mass
of the sun. There may be many, many stellar mass black holes in Earth's galaxy. Earth's galaxy is called the Milky Way.
The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses that are more
than 1 million suns together. Scientists have found proof that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a very large ball that could hold a few million Earths.
If Black Holes Are "Black," How Do Scientists Know They Are There?
A black hole can not be seen because strong gravity pulls all of the light into the middle of the black hole. But scientists can see how the strong gravity affects the stars and gas around the black hole.
Scientists can study stars to find out if they are flying around, or orbiting, a black hole.
When a black hole and a star are close together, high-energy light is made. This kind of light
can not be seen with human eyes. Scientists use satellites and telescopes in space to see the high-energy light.
But the great physicist, Stephen Hawking begs to differ as he said that light has no mass and can
escape the strong pull of a black hole.
So who knows black holes may not be black(dark) after all.
Could a Black Hole Destroy Earth?
Black holes do not go around in space eating stars, moons and planets. Earth will not fall into
a black hole because no black hole is close enough to the solar system for Earth to do that. Even
if a black hole the same mass as the sun were to take the place of the sun, Earth still would not
fall in. The black hole would have the same gravity as the sun. Earth and the other planets would orbit the black hole as they orbit the sun now.
The sun will never turn into a black hole. The sun is not a big enough star to make a black hole.
So for now we can just be safe that our little planet called 'Earth' aka our home is safe.
star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can't see black holes, hence the name blackholes.
How Big Are Black Holes?
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Mass is the amount
of matter, or "stuff," in an object.
Another kind of black hole is called "stellar."Its mass can be up to 20 times more than the mass
of the sun. There may be many, many stellar mass black holes in Earth's galaxy. Earth's galaxy is called the Milky Way.
The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses that are more
than 1 million suns together. Scientists have found proof that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a very large ball that could hold a few million Earths.
If Black Holes Are "Black," How Do Scientists Know They Are There?
A black hole can not be seen because strong gravity pulls all of the light into the middle of the black hole. But scientists can see how the strong gravity affects the stars and gas around the black hole.
Scientists can study stars to find out if they are flying around, or orbiting, a black hole.
When a black hole and a star are close together, high-energy light is made. This kind of light
can not be seen with human eyes. Scientists use satellites and telescopes in space to see the high-energy light.
But the great physicist, Stephen Hawking begs to differ as he said that light has no mass and can
escape the strong pull of a black hole.
So who knows black holes may not be black(dark) after all.
Could a Black Hole Destroy Earth?
Black holes do not go around in space eating stars, moons and planets. Earth will not fall into
a black hole because no black hole is close enough to the solar system for Earth to do that. Even
if a black hole the same mass as the sun were to take the place of the sun, Earth still would not
fall in. The black hole would have the same gravity as the sun. Earth and the other planets would orbit the black hole as they orbit the sun now.
The sun will never turn into a black hole. The sun is not a big enough star to make a black hole.
So for now we can just be safe that our little planet called 'Earth' aka our home is safe.
