Myths and Folktales about Black Holes

Black Holes are the places in space where the gravitational pull or force is so strong that light can not even escape. Personally, I found Black Holes to be the most interesting and questionable thing we have discussed in Astronomy 101 because of the lack of knowledge we, as humans, know about them. Growing up as a child, there were myths and folktales that Black Holes went around eating galaxies, stars, and planets. After this semester, in Astronomy 101, it was cool to indulge and be actually educated on the idea of “”What a Black Hole is””, rather believe ole folktales.

Black Holes are invisible in space, based on no light can be seen from Black Holes. The matter inside Black Holes are squeezed into tiny space, this is why the gravity is so strong. Black Holes are only visible using space telescopes with special tools. Even stars surrounding Black Holes act differently, this is how scientists are able to identify and locate where Black Holes are located. When stars collapse they either do one of two things, the stars can be stopped by degeneracy pressure (when atoms are stripped of their electrons through high pressure and heat – the stars are ionized) or the star forms a Black Hole. Another cool fact about Black Holes that blows my mind is that time is actually slower when surrounding a Black Hole. From the viewpoint of scientist and observers, objects in space that fall into Black Holes seem to be stuck in time.

One of the facts that professor Santander diagnosed with us in class was about how “”tidal forces near black holes would stretch anything approaching its event horizon””. Which I didn’t quite fully understand so I used this assignment as a matter to research more about this fact. Turns out that Black Holes are actually very deadly. To compare it more easily, if a person was to ever “”fall into a Black Hole””, they would never even approach the event horizon. The person’s body would go through tidal forces that would stretch the body into strands of atoms and be torn apart before ever reaching the actual “”Black Hole””. Fun Fact.

Black Holes have always been a mystery to me and it was indulging to be able to discuss and research the facts about them this year in Astronomy 101. It would be cool to be able to actually see one with a special space telescope one day. Learning more about them this semester has opened my mind to the thought and idea of them. I hope to learn more about them in the future.”

Did you like this example?

345

18