Introduction to Space and Astronomy

Why are Black Holes Black?

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First... What is this?

• This is a Black Hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, which lies some 55 million light-years away from Earth.

• This photo was taken in 2019, and taken again through a filter this year. The filter revealed lines of magnetic energy flowing inward through the spiral.

• This is the first true "picture" of a Black Hole.

Spaghettification 🍝

• Black Holes shred everything that comes near them. At Right is an animation of what it may look like.

• Things are pulled apart one atom at a time in a loooooong string, like a pile of spaghetti.

• But where does this stuff go?

_{Take a look at the "anatomy" of a Black Hole}

Ready for a learning check?

Feel free to go back and review!

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the galaxy that the black hole that was photographed is in?

• M87

• Milky Way

• Andromeda

• Betelegeuse

Multiple Choice

The vertical stretching of an object, as it falls into a black hole, is called ___

• fettuccination

• the linguine effect

• spaghettification

• the noodle response

Multiple Choice

The surface around a black hole, where the escape velocity is the speed of light, is called ___

• the observable boundary

• the event horizon

• the progenitor surface

• The Chandrasekhar Limit

Multiple Choice

Where is the singularity located in the black hole?

• the very center

• the outside edges

• the middle

• between the middle and the outside

What's Space-Time?

• Space-time is a mathematical model that joins space and time into a single four-dimensional continuum.

• Wherever matter exists, it bends the geometry of spacetime. This results in a curved shape of space-time which can be understood as gravity.

Visualizing space-time distortions.

Warping Space-Time

• Wherever matter exists, it bends the geometry of spacetime. This results in a curved shape of space-time which can be understood as gravity.

• Larger masses cause greater distortions of space-time.

• As distance away from these curves increases, their gravitational effect decreases.

The "Event Horizon"

• This is the point of no return.

• The gravitational pull is so strong that light particles are "forced" to continue moving into the center.

• At right is a view looking down from above a Black Hole.

• The "fabric" is being stretched to a point where objects cannot be retrieved - the Singularity.

Ready for a learning check?

Feel free to go back and review!

Multiple Choice

The point in the center of the black hole where we believe that physics as we know it may cease to exist.

• accretion disk

• singularity

• supernova

• quasar

Multiple Choice

What we perceive as gravity is really just ___

• a dent in reality-fabric

• a warping of space-time

• a bump in the stellar-textile

• a bending of the event horizon

Multiple Choice

Supermassive black holes are so powerful they can bend, warp and shatter time.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Why are black holes black?

• There are no stars to produce light.

• Light waves die inside.

• The gravity pulls stronger/faster than the speed of light, so light cannot escape.

• No one paid the electric bill.

If you're looking for a movie to watch over break...

• Check out Interstellar !

• From the creator of the "Dark Knight" movies.

• Has a relatively accurate depiction of space-time and Black Holes, including what "happens" when one enters a Black Hole.

Poll

How would you rate Black Holes?

_{This poll is brought to you by Raid Shadow Legends}

• Lame

• Meh

• Okay

• Cool

• Dope