If its mass collapses into an infinitely small point, a black hole is born. Packing all of that bulk—many times the mass of our own sun—into such a tiny point gives black holes their powerful gravitational pull. Thousands of these stellar-mass black holes may lurk within our own Milky Way galaxy.

One black hole is not like the others

Supermassive black holes, predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, can have masses equal to billions of suns; these cosmic monsters likely hide at the centers of most galaxies. The Milky Way hosts its own supermassive black hole at its center known as Sagittarius A* (pronounced “ay star”) that is more than four million times as massive as our sun.

The tiniest members of the black hole family are, so far, theoretical. These small vortices of darkness may have swirled to life soon after the universe formed with the big bang, some 13.7 billion years ago, and then quickly evaporated. Astronomers also suspect that a class of objects called intermediate-mass black holes exist in the universe, although evidence for them is so far debatable.

No matter their starting size, black holes can grow throughout their lives, slurping gas and dust from any objects that creep too close. Anything that passes the event horizon, the point at which escape becomes impossible, is in theory destined for spaghettification thanks to a sharp increase in the strength of gravity as you fall into the black hole.

As astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson once described the process: “While you’re getting stretched, you’re getting squeezed—extruded through the fabric of space like toothpaste through a tube.”

A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.

\n","title":"Perseus Black Hole"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg","altText":"

A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/IoA/A. Fabian et al.","dsc":"A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.","ttl":"Perseus Black Hole"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/MIT/UCSB/P. Ogle et al./STScI/A. Capetti et al.","text":"

A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.

\n","title":"Black Hole Wind"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg","altText":"

A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/MIT/UCSB/P. Ogle et al./STScI/A. Capetti et al.","dsc":"A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.","ttl":"Black Hole Wind"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/OCIW/P. Martini et al.","text":"

In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.

\n","title":"Unexpected X-Rays"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg","altText":"

In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/OCIW/P. Martini et al.","dsc":"In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.","ttl":"Unexpected X-Rays"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J. Liu et al./ NOAO/AURA/NSF/T. Boroson","text":"

Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.

\n","title":"Intermediate-Mass Black Hole"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg","altText":"

Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J. Liu et al./ NOAO/AURA/NSF/T. Boroson","dsc":"Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.","ttl":"Intermediate-Mass Black Hole"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Illustration courtesy NASA/CXC/M. Weiss","text":"

An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.

\n","title":"X-Ray Jet"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":1.332436069986541,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg","altText":"

An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.

\n","crdt":"Illustration courtesy NASA/CXC/M. Weiss","dsc":"An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.","ttl":"X-Ray Jet"}}],"disableFullscreen":true,"theme":"light","richDescription":{"markup":""},"hideEndBug":true,"type":"photogalleryLead","hideLine":true},"mdDt":"2021-05-03T17:00:08.341Z","pbDt":"2018-09-21T18:05:00.000Z","readTime":"6 min read","schma":{"athrs":[{"name":"Maya Wei-Haas"}],"cnnicl":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/black-holes","kywrds":"black holes, space, information, facts, photos, science and technology, universe","lg":"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg","pblshr":"National Geographic","abt":"Black Holes","sclDsc":"Learn more about these gravitational beasts.","sclImg":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_16x9.jpg?w=1200","sclTtl":"Black Holes, 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Black Hole","credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/IoA/A. Fabian et al.","source":"","text":"A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.\n","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}},{"src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg","img":{"altText":"hot gas escaping from a black hole."},"sources":[{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=374&h=499","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=748&h=998"},"max":374,"nativeWidth":374},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=413&h=551","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=826&h=1102"},"max":413,"min":375,"nativeWidth":413},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=718&h=957","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=1436&h=1914"},"max":767,"min":414,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=718&h=957","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=1436&h=1914"},"max":1024,"min":768,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=1280&h=1707","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg?w=2560&h=3414"},"min":1025,"nativeWidth":1280}],"caption":{"title":"Black Hole Wind","credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/MIT/UCSB/P. Ogle et al./STScI/A. Capetti et al.","source":"","text":"A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.\n","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}},{"src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg","img":{"altText":"x-ray radiation emanating from a black hole."},"sources":[{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=374&h=374","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=748&h=748"},"max":374,"nativeWidth":374},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=413&h=413","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=826&h=826"},"max":413,"min":375,"nativeWidth":413},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=718&h=718","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=1436&h=1436"},"max":767,"min":414,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=718&h=718","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=1436&h=1436"},"max":1024,"min":768,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=1280&h=1280","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg?w=2560&h=2560"},"min":1025,"nativeWidth":1280}],"caption":{"title":"Unexpected X-Rays","credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/OCIW/P. Martini et al.","source":"","text":"In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.\n","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}},{"src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg","img":{"altText":"possible intermediate-mass black hole"},"sources":[{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=374&h=499","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=748&h=998"},"max":374,"nativeWidth":374},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=413&h=551","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=826&h=1102"},"max":413,"min":375,"nativeWidth":413},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=718&h=957","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=1436&h=1914"},"max":767,"min":414,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=718&h=957","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=1436&h=1914"},"max":1024,"min":768,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=1280&h=1707","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg?w=2560&h=3414"},"min":1025,"nativeWidth":1280}],"caption":{"title":"Intermediate-Mass Black Hole","credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J. Liu et al./ NOAO/AURA/NSF/T. Boroson","source":"","text":"Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.\n","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}},{"src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg","img":{"altText":"an x-ray jet from a black hole"},"sources":[{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=374&h=281","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=748&h=562"},"max":374,"nativeWidth":374},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=413&h=310","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=826&h=620"},"max":413,"min":375,"nativeWidth":413},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=718&h=539","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=1436&h=1078"},"max":767,"min":414,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=718&h=539","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=1436&h=1078"},"max":1024,"min":768,"nativeWidth":718},{"src":{"x1":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=1280&h=961","x2":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg?w=2560&h=1922"},"min":1025,"nativeWidth":1280}],"caption":{"title":"X-Ray Jet","credit":"Illustration courtesy NASA/CXC/M. Weiss","source":"","text":"An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.\n","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}}],"aspectRatio":"3x2","disableFullscreen":false,"colormode":"dark","useDotPagination":true,"autoplay":false,"ariaLabelLeft":"Previous Image","ariaLabelRight":"Next Image"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"PrismBadgeTag","props":{"badge":null,"tags":{"tags":[{"label":"SCIENCE","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science"},{"label":"STARSTRUCK","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/topic/starstruck"}]},"isUserAuthed":false},"config":{}},{"name":"Headline","props":{"title":"Black Holes, explained","description":"These infinitely dense points in space will spaghettify anything that ventures too close."},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Byline","props":{"contributors":[{"name":"Maya Wei-Haas","role":"writer","labelOverride":"By"}],"logoRadius":true,"shareProps":{"title":"Black Holes, explained","url":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/black-holes","pageType":"Story","source":"NatGeo","shareButton":"inline","size":"l","networks":["facebook","twitter","email","link"],"description":"These infinitely dense points in space will spaghettify anything that ventures too close."},"readTime":"6 min read"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Divider","props":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Body","props":{"body":[[{"type":"p","content":["Black holes are points in space that are so dense they create deep gravity sinks. Beyond a certain region, not even light can escape the powerful tug of a black hole's gravity. And anything that ventures too close—be it star, planet, or spacecraft—will be stretched and compressed like putty in a theoretical process aptly known as spaghettification."]},{"type":"p","content":["There are ",{"type":"a","content":["four types of black holes"],"attrs":{"href":"http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/answer.php.id=62&cat=exotic"}},": stellar, intermediate, supermassive, and miniature. The most commonly known way a black hole forms is by stellar death. As stars reach the ends of their lives, most will inflate, lose mass, and then cool to form ",{"type":"a","content":["white dwarfs"],"attrs":{"href":"http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/universe/white-dwarfs-article/"}},". But the largest of these fiery bodies, those at least 10 to 20 times as massive as our own sun, are destined to become either super-dense ",{"type":"a","content":["neutron stars"],"attrs":{"href":"http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/neutron-stars"}}," or so-called stellar-mass black holes."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"InlineVideo","props":{"caption":{"title":"Black Holes 101","text":"At the center of our galaxy, a supermassive black hole churns. Learn about the types of black holes, how they form, and how scientists discovered these invisible, yet extraordinary objects in our universe.","credit":null,"lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More"},"prismVideo":true,"inlineId":"inline-1","lines":3,"autoplay":true,"credit":null,"description":"At the center of our galaxy, a supermassive black hole churns. Learn about the types of black holes, how they form, and how scientists discovered these invisible, yet extraordinary objects in our universe.","duration":"2:55","rwDur":175956,"pblshDt":"2018-09-18T17:45:27.000Z","ratio":"16x9","title":"Black Holes 101","id":"","image":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000.jpg","altText":"Black Holes 101"},"cmsType":"video","pId":"8c25c3bb-d6ba-4eea-9279-cf0d74a33b9e","slideTitle":"Black Holes 101","windowWidth":1260,"imgSrc":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/75f297b9-8227-4f2f-91ed-7291f5ad283d/00000165-edc9-d475-abe7-efc925a20000.jpg"},"context":{},"config":{"align":"full","alignXxs":"full"}}},{"type":"p","content":["In their final stages, enormous stars go out with a bang in massive explosions known as ",{"type":"a","content":["supernovae."],"attrs":{"href":"http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/universe/supernovae-article"}}," Such a burst flings star matter out into space but leaves behind the stellar core. While the star was alive, nuclear fusion created a constant outward push that balanced the inward pull of gravity from the star's own mass. In the stellar remnants of a supernova, however, there are no longer forces to oppose that gravity, so the star core begins to collapse in on itself."]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"kvps":{"pos":"fitt-article-inline-outstream-1"},"type":"fitt-article-inline-outstream","className":"fitt-article-inline-outstream"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[320,50]},"regular":{"size":[728,90]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["If its mass collapses into an infinitely small point, a black hole is born. Packing all of that bulk—many times the mass of our own sun—into such a tiny point gives black holes their powerful gravitational pull. ",{"type":"a","content":["Thousands of these stellar-mass black holes"],"attrs":{"href":"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/black-hole-stellar-binary-stars-milky-way-galaxy/"}}," may lurk within our own Milky Way galaxy."]},{"type":"h2","content":["One black hole is not like the others"]},{"type":"p","content":["Supermassive black holes, predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity, can have masses equal to billions of suns; these cosmic monsters likely hide at the centers of most galaxies. The Milky Way hosts its own supermassive black hole at its center known as ",{"type":"a","content":["Sagittarius A*"],"attrs":{"href":"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/black-hole-spitballs-planets-galaxies-stars-space-science/"}}," (pronounced “ay star”) that is more than four million times as massive as our sun."]},{"type":"p","content":["The tiniest members of the black hole family are, so far, theoretical. These small vortices of darkness may have swirled to life soon after the universe formed with the big bang, some 13.7 billion years ago, and then quickly evaporated. Astronomers also suspect that a class of objects called ",{"type":"a","content":["intermediate-mass black holes"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/images/cosmos-legacy-survey-shows-evidence-of-intermediate-mass-black-holes.html"}}," exist in the universe, although evidence for them is so far debatable."]},{"type":"p","content":["No matter their starting size, black holes can grow throughout their lives, slurping gas and dust from any objects that creep too close. Anything that passes the event horizon, the point at which escape becomes impossible, is in theory destined for spaghettification thanks to a sharp increase in the strength of gravity as you fall into the black hole."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"MarkupEmbed","props":{"markup":"%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22quizz-container%22%20data-quiz%3D%22465525%22%20data-width%3D%22100%25%22%20data-height%3D%22auto%22%3E%3Cscript%20src%3D%22https%3A//dcc4iyjchzom0.cloudfront.net/widget/loader.js%22%3E%3C/script%3E%3C/div%3E","caption":{"title":"Black Holes, explained","credit":"","text":"","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More"},"encMethod":"esc","useSafeFrame":false,"requestProps":{"stateKey":"markup"},"tmsEnabled":true},"context":{},"config":{"align":"full","alignXxs":"full"}}},{"type":"p","content":["As astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson once ",{"type":"a","content":["described"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1iJXOUMJpg"}}," the process: “While you're getting stretched, you're getting squeezed—extruded through the fabric of space like toothpaste through a tube.”"]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"type":"fitt-article-inline-box","className":"fitt-article-inline-box"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[300,250]},"regular":{"size":[300,250]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["But black holes aren't exactly “",{"type":"a","content":["cosmic vacuum cleaners"],"attrs":{"href":"http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/answer.php.id=61&cat=exotic"}},",” as often depicted in popular media. Objects must creep fairly close to one to lose this gravitational tug-of-war. For example, if our sun was suddenly replaced by a black hole of similar mass, our planetary family would continue to orbit unperturbed, if much less warm and illuminated."]},{"type":"h2","content":["Peering through the darkness"]},{"type":"p","content":["Because black holes swallow all light, astronomers can't spot them directly like they do the many glittery cosmic objects in the sky. But there are a few keys that reveal a black hole's presence."]},{"type":"p","content":["For one, a black hole's intense gravity tugs on any surrounding objects. Astronomers use these erratic movements to infer the presence of the invisible monster that lurks nearby. Or objects can orbit a black hole, and astronomers can look for stars that seem to orbit nothing to detect a likely candidate. That's how astronomers eventually ",{"type":"a","content":["identified Sagittarius A* as a black hole"],"attrs":{"href":"http://www.nature.com/articles/nature01121"}}," in the early 2000s."]},{"type":"p","content":["Black holes are also messy eaters, which often betrays their locations. As they sip on surrounding stars, their massive gravitational and magnetic forces superheat the infalling gas and dust, causing it to emit radiation. Some of this glowing matter envelops the black hole in a whirling region called an accretion disk. Even the matter that starts falling into a black hole isn't necessarily there to stay. Black holes can sometimes eject infalling ",{"type":"a","content":["stardust in mighty radiation-laden burps"],"attrs":{"href":"https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110615-black-holes-eat-star-galaxy-nasa-swift-gamma-rays-space-science/"}},"."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"EditorsNote","props":{"body":"Sources:
• NASA: What Is a Black Hole?
• NASA Share the Science: Black Holes
• NASA's High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center: A Brief History of High-Energy Astronomy
• NASA's Hubblesite: Frequently Asked Questions
• NASA's Hubblesite: How Do Black Holes Grow?","header":null},"context":{},"config":{"align":"full"}}},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"CommercePromo","props":{"layout":"standard","headline":"LIMITED TIME OFFER","descriptionRichText":"","imageSrc":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb577a2a-7871-4ba3-9bb3-fee72bcd6a8c/NGH-13203_1080x720-1_16x9.jpg","imageRatio":"16x9","actionLabel":"GIVE A GIFT","actionHref":"https://nghistorysubs.nationalgeographic.com/pubs/NG/NGH/NGH_Holiday_Onsite_Gift_Aug24.jsp?cds_page_id=280478&cds_mag_code=NGH&id=1730489972865&lsid=43061439328077486&vid=1&cds_response_key=I4HC2HOL1&cmpid=int_org=ngp::int_mc=website::int_src=ngp::int_cmp=ngh_holiday24::int_add=inarticlepromostacked","immersive":false,"colorMode":"light","campaignName":"20241101_NGH_Holiday_Inarticlepromo_stacked","tint":2,"backed":true,"subtitle":"The perfect gift for the history buff in your life. 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There are also some smaller, red stars and a few disc-shaped galaxies scattered about the image.","crdt":"Photograph by NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI","dsc":"This image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot young stars carve out cavities in surrounding gas and dust.","rchDsc":{"markup":"This image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot young stars carve out cavities in surrounding gas and dust."},"rchTtl":{"markup":""}},"sections":[{"name":"Science","id":"2af51eeb-09a8-3bcf-8467-6b2a08edb76c","type":"sources","uri":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science"}],"headline":"What if aliens exist—but they're just hiding from us?","link":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/dark-forest-theory-alien-life"},{"description":"Unusual flashes of bright blue light, billions of times more powerful than the sun, have been seen in distant galaxies, baffling astronomers. 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Variation in the jet's direction could produce the observed rapid flashes."},"rchTtl":{"markup":""}},"sections":[{"name":"Science","id":"2af51eeb-09a8-3bcf-8467-6b2a08edb76c","type":"sources","uri":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science"}],"headline":"What is causing these massive, mysterious explosions in space?","link":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/astronomers-find-clues-massive-mysterious-explosions-space-lfbots"},{"description":"The birth of the first stars represents the beginning of a sequence that produced all the worlds and living beings of the universe. 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Fabian et al.","text":"

A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.

\n","title":"Perseus Black Hole"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ee5d7522-58d6-4cfa-abb5-419462ff0866/1140.jpg","altText":"

A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/IoA/A. Fabian et al.","dsc":"A view of the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster, one of the most massive objects in the universe, shows the effects that a relatively small but supermassive black hole can have millions of miles beyond its core. Astronomers studying this photo, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, determined that sound waves emitted by explosive venting around the black hole are heating the surrounding area and inhibiting star growth some 300,000 light-years away. \"In relative terms, it is as if a heat source the size of a fingernail affects the behavior of a region the size of Earth,\" said Andrew Fabian of Cambridge University.","ttl":"Perseus Black Hole"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/MIT/UCSB/P. Ogle et al./STScI/A. Capetti et al.","text":"

A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.

\n","title":"Black Hole Wind"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb333c0f-59b2-4899-9189-177866435a06/840.jpg","altText":"

A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/MIT/UCSB/P. Ogle et al./STScI/A. Capetti et al.","dsc":"A composite x-ray/optical image of the active NGC 1068 galaxy reveals an enormous plume of hot gas emanating from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Scientists think the shape and speed of the plume, which moves at about 1 million miles an hour (1.6 million kilometers an hour), are caused by the funneling effect of a doughnut-shaped ring of cooler gas and dust that surrounds the black hole.","ttl":"Black Hole Wind"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/OCIW/P. Martini et al.","text":"

In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.

\n","title":"Unexpected X-Rays"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8997375c-e48e-42e9-8d97-12640e158403/1269.jpg","altText":"

In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/OCIW/P. Martini et al.","dsc":"In 2000, astronomers studying the A2104 galaxy cluster (in blue) discovered powerful x-rays emanating from several black holes in regions previously thought too old and devoid of gas to create such radiation. They had expected to find perhaps one such x-ray source in the area, but instead found six. The discovery, made using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, changed many of the assumptions scientists had made about the life cycles of galaxies and black holes.","ttl":"Unexpected X-Rays"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J. Liu et al./ NOAO/AURA/NSF/T. Boroson","text":"

Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.

\n","title":"Intermediate-Mass Black Hole"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/699b35d1-4c2c-423d-97ec-59e5bae07c2a/6528.jpg","altText":"

Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.

\n","crdt":"Photograph courtesy NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J. Liu et al./ NOAO/AURA/NSF/T. Boroson","dsc":"Astronomers think the object shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image (in box) may be an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the Messier 74 galaxy (M74), this object emits periodic bursts of x-rays at a rate that suggests it is much larger than a stellar-mass black hole but significantly smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies. Few such middling black holes have been discovered, and scientists aren't sure how they form.","ttl":"Intermediate-Mass Black Hole"}},{"caption":{"credit":"Illustration courtesy NASA/CXC/M. Weiss","text":"

An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.

\n","title":"X-Ray Jet"},"img":{"crps":[{"nm":"raw","aspRto":1.332436069986541,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg"},{"nm":"16x9","aspRto":1.7777777777777777,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_16x9.jpg"},{"nm":"3x2","aspRto":1.5,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_3x2.jpg"},{"nm":"square","aspRto":1,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_square.jpg"},{"nm":"2x3","aspRto":0.6666666666666666,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_2x3.jpg"},{"nm":"3x4","aspRto":0.75,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_3x4.jpg"},{"nm":"4x3","aspRto":1.3333333333333333,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_4x3.jpg"},{"nm":"2x1","aspRto":2,"url":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13_2x1.jpg"}],"rt":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg","src":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/c6eb5b4f-c2f5-439d-8a72-6dc846d0ee74/13.jpg","altText":"

An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.

\n","crdt":"Illustration courtesy NASA/CXC/M. Weiss","dsc":"An artist's rendering, made using data collected by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows a quasar galaxy with a jet of high-energy particles extending more than 100,000 light-years from the supermassive black hole at its center. The object, located 12 billion light-years from Earth, is the most distant such jet ever detected. These quasar jets are formed when electrons emitted from a black hole impact with cosmic background radiation left by the big bang, giving astronomers clues about the conditions in the early universe.","ttl":"X-Ray Jet"}}],"disableFullscreen":true,"theme":"light","richDescription":{"markup":""},"hideEndBug":true,"type":"photogalleryLead","hideLine":true},"mdDt":"2021-05-03T17:00:08.341Z","wrdcnt":834,"prismOptions":{"showSidebar":false,"ads":{"disabled":false,"fillInlineAds":true,"inlineAdsLimit":30,"minWords":0,"allowNearInline":true,"outstreamSlots":[3,13,18],"boxSlots":[8]},"everscrollEnabled":true,"endComponents":[{"name":"RelatedTags","data":{"articleConfig":{"gridDisplayMode":"normal"},"relatedTags":{"heading":"Related Topics","tags":[{"label":"BLACK HOLES","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/related/b6ff74b7-1317-37a2-b30d-447b80117355/black-holes"},{"label":"SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/related/62b77c80-5c30-3bf0-9adb-00749e1f4289/science-and-technology"},{"label":"SPACE","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/related/552c3a4d-d063-38c4-a611-b8ec6da867f5/space"},{"label":"UNIVERSE","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/related/c16011e0-d2ee-3390-86db-d5a18368c4b0/universe"}]}}},"ContentPromoGrid"],"components":["LeadMediaGallery",{"name":"PrismBadgeTag","data":{"badge":null,"tags":{"tags":[{"label":"SCIENCE","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science"},{"label":"STARSTRUCK","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/topic/starstruck"}]},"isUserAuthed":false}},"Headline","Byline","Divider","Body"],"Byline":{"dateFormat":null},"layoutOptions":{"top":{"colorMode":"light"},"sidebar":{"isSticky":true,"isStackable":true},"main":{"spacing":{"top":40}}},"Divider":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"Body":{"inlines":[{"type":"video","data":{"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"caption":{"title":"Black Holes 101","text":"At the center of our galaxy, a supermassive black hole churns. 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• NASA: What Is a Black Hole?
• NASA Share the Science: Black Holes
• NASA's High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center: A Brief History of High-Energy Astronomy
• NASA's Hubblesite: Frequently Asked Questions
• NASA's Hubblesite: How Do Black Holes Grow?","header":null,"inlineId":"inline-3"}},{"type":"CommercePromo","data":{"layout":"standard","headline":"LIMITED TIME OFFER","descriptionRichText":"","imageSrc":"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/eb577a2a-7871-4ba3-9bb3-fee72bcd6a8c/NGH-13203_1080x720-1_16x9.jpg","imageRatio":"16x9","actionLabel":"GIVE A GIFT","actionHref":"https://nghistorysubs.nationalgeographic.com/pubs/NG/NGH/NGH_Holiday_Onsite_Gift_Aug24.jsp?cds_page_id=280478&cds_mag_code=NGH&id=1730489972865&lsid=43061439328077486&vid=1&cds_response_key=I4HC2HOL1&cmpid=int_org=ngp::int_mc=website::int_src=ngp::int_cmp=ngh_holiday24::int_add=inarticlepromostacked","immersive":false,"colorMode":"light","campaignName":"20241101_NGH_Holiday_Inarticlepromo_stacked","tint":2,"backed":true,"subtitle":"The perfect gift for the history buff in your life. Give now and get a FREE TOTE BAG.","actionTarget":"_blank","linkWithin":true,"elevation":1,"inlineId":"commerce-promo-inline","articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"center"},"className":"prism-commerce-container"}}],"Blockquote":{"disableQuotationMark":true,"simple":true},"datelineSeparator":"—","stripBr":false,"className":"PrismArticleBody SingleColumn"},"dataConstructorMap":{}},"contentPackage":"freemium","story_id":"drn:src:natgeo:unison::prod:f55d4bfa-b8d4-4a50-b8d9-eadd13fbcf02"}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/science/article/black-holes?userab=ng_pw_copy-287%2Avariant_b-1127","vary":{"cached":true,"device":"pc","host":"www.nationalgeographic.com","path":"/science/article/black-holes","forwarded-proto":"https","country":"us","edition":"natgeo-en-us","edition-view":"natgeo-en-us","loggedin":"false","userab":"ng_pw_copy-287*variant_b-1127"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};



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