As a scientist working for NASA, it’s your job to monitor space activity. Imagine you were doing your usual checks when suddenly, you spotted something strange on the screen: bright flashes of light. You look closer with a telescope and see that these are fragments of a star being pulled toward an invisible object. What does this mean? Aliens? Meteor speeds through the sky, and you, watching in horror, alert your team of astronomers. They quickly inform you that there is no need to panic; it’s just a black hole. As you recalibrate your emotions from fear to relief, you begin to wonder why humans are so afraid of these space objects. This uneasiness likely stems from fictitious movies where space travelers are pulled into alternate universes or unknown depths. However, don’t be discouraged! Scientists and astronomers know much about black holes that will ease your mind. After reading these facts on black holes, you will have more knowledge and less fear about these fascinating objects.
A black hole’s strong gravitational field is a celestial trap
Just like the planets and Sun or moon, black holes are celestial bodies; however, they have an incredibly powerful gravitational force. So much so that anything caught in its grasp will be trapped without any hope of escape. Obeying the same gravitational laws as other solar bodies, black holes rotate and spin.
There is an event horizon surrounding every black hole, which functions as a boundary between the core of the black hole and its gravitational force. This force is incredibly strong- so much so that it can break down matter and other elements into their smallest points. In short: you don’t want to go anywhere near one of these things.