What is a Black Hole?
A black hole is an astronomical object with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it. This extraordinary phenomenon occurs when massive stars exhaust their nuclear fuel and collapse under their own gravity. The core contracts, while the outer layers are expelled in a supernova explosion, leading to the formation of a black hole.
Black holes are categorized into three main types based on their mass:
- Stellar Black Holes: Formed from the remnants of massive stars after a supernova, typically ranging from about 3 to several tens of solar masses.
- Supermassive Black Holes: Found at the centers of galaxies, including our Milky Way, these can have masses equivalent to millions or even billions of suns.
- Intermediate Black Holes: These are theorized to exist and have masses between stellar and supermassive black holes, but they have yet to be definitively observed.
The boundary around a black hole is known as the event horizon—the point beyond which nothing can return. Observing black holes directly is impossible because they do not emit light; however, they can be detected through their interactions with nearby stars and gas, often observed in X-ray emissions.
In recent years, black holes have become pivotal in understanding fundamental laws of physics and the fabric of spacetime, revealing insights into the nature of gravity and the universe.