Is there any black hole in space? The theory of the existence of black holes is very mysterious. Continue reading to know every detail to clear your doubts regarding this mystery.
What Is A Black Hole?
A black hole is an area in space with intense gravity through which nothing can escape, not even a ray of light. It is said that a black hole forms when a star dies. The black hole has the word ' black' in its name because the strong gravity inside the place traps everything and thus becomes black. However, the black hole is not visible as no light passes through it. Only specialized telescopes could see the formation of these holes.
Formation Of BlackHoles
The concept of black hole has been around for centuries. However, the concept of black hole was derived from Einstein's theory of general relativity. His theory states that a small black core is left behind after the death of a star. Only those stars whose mass is more than three solo masses help to create a black hole after collapsing. The small star becomes white dwarfs or Neutron starts after their death.
It Said To Be Invisible. Then How Do Scientists Came To Know About It!
Scientists believe that black holes were made when life started and universe began. Since there is an immense gravity which pulls the light in the black hole, it becomes invisible. Though no one can see these holes directly, but scientists can get the idea of their presence by tracking the weird effects on the matter around the black holes.
Scientists track the matter close to the black holes: the stars, gas, dust, etc. when matter revolves around its corners. As soon as the matter becomes hot, it starts glowing. Thus they get visible in an X-ray telescope. The glowing disc shows the presence of a black hole. The evidence collected from such incidents makes us believe that there are black holes in space. Similarly, when a star goes close to the black hole, high energy light is observed. This is how scientists can identify the formation of a black hole through various satellites and telescopes.
The first black hole to be detected directly had a mass equal to six and a half billion of Sun. It was found in the M87 galaxy by the Event Horizon Telescope. Two famous astronauts— Andrea Ghez and Reinhard Genzel, were awarded the 2020’s Nobel Prize for their outstanding research.
Are Black Holes Giant In Size?
When it comes to size, the black hole might be big or small. The small ones are considered remote whereas, the big ones are called ‘supermassive’ black holes. Moreover, a new black hole can be formed by the collision of a neutron star and a pre-existing black hole. According to scientists, there are approximately 10 million to 10 billion black holes in the Milky Way galaxy. The supermassive ones are more in number.
Astronauts came to know after their research that the supermassive holes are present at the center of the Milky Way galaxy and other large galaxies. One such well known supermassive black hole is ‘Sagittarius A’ at Milky Way’s center. But what about small black holes? The smaller ones lose their mass with time, and as a result, they disappear.
Are These Black Holes Threat For Earth?
Black holes are considered the most potent form in the universe, which can wreak great havoc. A black hole measuring just 1mm is enough to destroy one- third of our planet. If even one black hole occurs on Earth, it will wrap up everything with itself.
But fortunately, we do not face any immediate threat from these black holes. It is because no black hole is close to the solar system, not even to the Earth. If we think of a black hole with the same mass as the Sun, Earth is unlikely to be affected. However, the sun is not a big star, which would end up forming a black hole. In the end, the black hole remains the most mysterious thing in the universe till now.