What Is Blackhole?

The first thing astronomers and other scientists try to do when the subject of black holes comes up is try to destroy the myths that surround the word. Movies and science fiction novels have shown them sucking in everything nearby, like massively powerful vacuum cleaners. Other imaginative writers have tried to explain black holes as the opening to some sort of tunnel or passageway that leads to another dimension or another time.

But the simple explanation is that a black hole is the last stage of “life” for a star in a galaxy. However, this doesn’t seem to satisfy the more creative among human beings.

Scientists have proposed that a huge star (one that is 10 to 15 times the mass of our sun) were to move into a supernova event, the resulting release of energy chemicals would leave only a “burned-out” remnant of that star. No gravity is present at this point to keep this dense core from collapsing in on itself. Astronomers have proposed that no light is able to escape from this massive center and the mass reaches what is considered an infinite density.

While scientific theory states that it is not impossible for matter to be “sucked” into a black hole, the event would be extremely unlikely. But there is a point around the star remnant at which even matter could be drawn in. These theories also say that even if our sun were to go through a supernova and the core became a black hole, the Earth would not be “sucked” into it. Scientists feel that the planet would never be close enough for that to occur.

Some scientists and lay skeptics have asked whether a black hole can actually exist. They say that since we cannot see them we can’t prove they are there. But astronomy has benefitted from extremely sensitive instruments in recent years and some studies show that there are indeed black holes. In fact, these studies propose that the number of black holes is increasing.

Don’t expect to see a “wormhole.” Scientists argue that this is more science fiction than anything else. Some science fiction books construct a wormhole with black holes at each end of a tube or passageway that leads to another time or another dimension. Most astronomers feel that there is serious doubt these even exists and there is no good way to measure one or observe one.

However, some feel that the Hubble telescope uncovered black hole evidence in connection with a star that is believed to be hundreds of times more massive than our sun. Just a few years ago, scientists actually reported that a companion star had been drawn into a black hole. Reports from those connected to the study say that satellite imagery has recorded such an event.

History records that thinkers and early scientists considered the existence of black holes hundreds of years ago. This theory existed long before anyone was able to observe cosmic events with quality telescopes. Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity includes reference to black holes in which time comes to a standstill.

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