Black Holes
(Courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum)
When a supernova explosion leaves behind a remnant
core over three times more massive than our Sun, the remnant becomes a black
hole--a body whose gravity is so strong that even light cannot escape from
it.
Although invisible, a black hole can be detected by its gravitational influence
on companion stars or on the gas orbiting around it. Friction heats the
dust and gas to hundreds of millions of degrees, causing it to radiate x-rays
and gamma rays.
A service of the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics at
Goddard Space Flight Center
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Web Curator: J.D. Myers
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Viewing The Violent Universe was created by
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