Black Holes

A black hole is a location in space that possesses so much gravity, nothing can escape its pull, even light. Learn more about what black holes are and the latest news.

Related Topics: Dark Matter, The Big Bang Theory, Gravitational Waves, The Theory of Relativity in Space 

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An artist's depiction of an accretion disk surrounding a supermassive black hole.

How big is a black hole? How messily it 'eats' may be a clue.

By Meghan Bartels published

Astronomers think they have established a new way to calculate the size of supermassive black holes: by studying the feeding patterns of these invisible giants.

Concentric ripples in galactic dust clouds triggered by a black-hole burst.

Powerful X-ray burst from black hole ripples through galactic dust in new NASA image

By Tereza Pultarova published

Concentric ripples in galactic dust clouds triggered by a powerful black-hole X-ray burst can be seen in a new image released by NASA.

The feeding process at the center of the supermassive black hole in the galaxy NGC 1566.

Supermassive black holes can be surprisingly delicate eaters, astronomers find

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Astronomers have imaged an extraordinary black hole picnic of cosmic proportions.

In a new study, scientists detected light echoing from behind a black hole for the first time.

Space telescopes spot light 'echoing' from behind black hole for the first time

By Chelsea Gohd published

For the first time ever, scientists have seen the light "echoing" from behind a black hole.

Each bright spot in this image, the first all-sky image by eRosita, is black hole or a neutron star.

German X-ray space telescope captures most complete map of black holes ever

By Tereza Pultarova last updated

A German X-ray mission is mapping the distribution of black holes and neutron stars in the Universe, having discovered over two million such new objects in less than two years since its launch.

A jet emerging from the black hole at the center of the Centaurus A galaxy photographed by the Event Horizon Telescope.

A powerful jet emerges from a black hole in unprecedented detail in new images

By Tereza Pultarova published

New images obtained by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) reveal a powerful jet ejected from a supermassive black hole in unprecedented detail.

Some of the potential exoplanets could actually be minuscule black holes

Can we solve the black hole information paradox with 'photon spheres'?

By Paul Sutter published

Theories that attempt to resolve the so-called black hole information paradox predict that black holes are much more complicated than general relativity suggests.

A scientific visualization of a numerical relativity simulation that describes the collision of two black holes consistent with the binary black hole merger GW170814.

Can artificial intelligence help scientists spot gravitational waves?

By Chelsea Gohd published

Scientists hunting for elusive gravitational waves across the universe may be able to supercharge their discoveries with a new tool: artificial intelligence.

This all-sky view of the Milky Way galaxy shows the globular cluster Palomar 5 and its tidal tails in the top center.

Star cluster overrun with black holes may dissolve into space, study finds

By Charles Q. Choi published

A cluster composed of thousands of stars may dissolve to become a mob of dozens of black holes in a billion years.

This artist's visualization shows a supermassive black hole surrounded by dust and gas forming tsunamis on its outer edges.

Supermassive black holes could host giant, swirling gas 'tsunamis'

By Chelsea Gohd published

Could gas escaping the gravitational grasp of supermassive black holes be forming "tsunamis" in space?

This radio band composite image of Arp 187, obtained by the VLA and ALMA telescopes (blue: VLA 4.86 GHz, green: VLA 8.44 GHz, red: ALMA 133 GHz), shows clear bimodal jet lobes. But the central nucleus (center of the image) is dark.

Astronomers spot 3,000 light-year 'light echo' of dying supermassive black hole

By Rahul Rao published

The "active galactic nucleus" phase of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy Arp 187 has apparently just ended.

An artist's depiction of a black hole and a neutron star merging.

Scientists catch 1st glimpse of a black hole swallowing a neutron star

By Meghan Bartels published

After more than four years of exploring a menagerie of cosmic happenings through gravitational waves, scientists have finally spotted the third expected variety of collision — twice.

The gravitational waves emitted by two black holes as they spiral into each other, shown in a simulation.

Famous Stephen Hawking theory about black holes confirmed

By Ben Turner published

Physicists analyzed data from the first ever gravitational waves detected to prove Hawking's theory, and think that even more could be discovered from studying the ripples in space-time.

Artist’s illustration of a galactic wind driven by a supermassive black hole located in the center of a galaxy. The intense energy emanating from the black hole creates a huge flow of gas that blows away the interstellar matter that is the material for forming stars.

Record breaker: Scientists spot earliest known supermassive black hole 'storm'

By Mike Wall published

Scientists have found the earliest known "storm" generated by a supermassive black hole, a discovery that could shed considerable light on the coevolution of galaxies and their central black holes.

A still photo from a new simulation shows the inner accretion disk of a supermassive black hole glowing with X-rays.

Watch two monster black holes merge into one in this intricate NASA simulation (video)

By Meghan Bartels published

Astrophysicists dream of one day truly seeing a black hole merger, rather than merely painting its portrait based on how it affects surrounding matter.

microphone in lecture hall

Black holes, aliens, multiverse & Mars: Space TED talks you need to watch

By Libby Plummer, All About Space magazine published

Be even more inspired by the universe and TED Talks with our top picks of ideas worth spreading.

A black hole tears down a star, leaving a long string of star material, which then wraps itself around the black hole.

'Spaghettified' star wrapped around a black hole spotted for the first time

By Tereza Pultarova last updated

Astronomers observe as a giant black hole sucks in a spaghettified star.

Artist's illustration of the tiny black hole candidate known as "The Unicorn" tugging on its companion, a red giant star.

Tiny newfound 'Unicorn' is closest known black hole to Earth

By Mike Wall published

Astronomers have apparently found the closest known black hole to Earth — a weirdly tiny object dubbed "The Unicorn" that lurks just 1,500 light-years from us.

Theoretical physicist and science popularizer Brian Greene presenting at the World Science Festival.

Black holes, string theory and more: Q&A with physicist Brian Greene

By Mike Wall published

Space.com caught up with Greene to discuss the importance of science education, why black holes are so interesting and whether a "theory of everything" breakthrough could be on the horizon.

A new animation visualizes the effects of two black holes orbiting each other. In this view, a supermassive black hole weighing 200 million times the mass of the sun lies in the foreground and its gravity distorts light from the accretion disk of a smaller companion black hole almost directly behind it.

Watch monster black holes dance in this mesmerizing NASA animation

By Samantha Mathewson last updated

A stunning new animation from NASA shows the entrancing dance of two monster black holes in orbit around each other.