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Table of Contents Enchanted Learning
All About Astronomy
Site Index
Our Solar System Stars Glossary Printables, Worksheets, and Activities
The Sun The Planets The Moon Asteroids Kuiper Belt Comets Meteors Astronomers

Astronomy Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Click on an underlined word for more information on that subject.

BLACK HOLES
A black hole is a massive object (or region) in space that is so dense that within a certain radius (the Schwarzschild radius, which determines the event horizon), its gravitational field does not let anything escape from it, not even light.



The Formation of Black Holes:
It is thought that giant stars (those with a mass over 3 times the mass of the Sun) will evolve into a red supergiant, a supernova, and then into a black hole. The typical black hole is believed to have a mass of roughly 10 times that of the Sun, but the range must be huge. For a typical black hole with a mass 10 times that of the Sun, the Schwarzschild radius would be roughly 18.6 miles (30 km).

The Phrase Black Hole:
The phrase 'black hole' was popularized by the physicist John Archibald Wheeler; before Wheeler, black holes were called 'frozen stars.' Astronomers think that there may be a black hole at the center of each galaxy.


Astronomy Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Click on an underlined word for more information on that subject.
If the astronomy term you are looking for is not in the dictionary, please e-mail us.




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