What is a Black Hole?
A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it. They form when massive stars collapse at the end of their lives. The boundary around a black hole from which nothing can escape is called the event horizon.
Explore Black Hole Properties
The mass of the black hole determines its size and gravitational pull.
How close you are to the event horizon affects the observed phenomena.
Time slows down near a black hole. This slider simulates the perceived time difference.
Current Black Hole Properties
Event Horizon Radius: 29.5 km
Escape Velocity: 0.54 c (c = speed of light)
Time Dilation: Time passes 1.0 times slower here.
Key Concepts
Event Horizon
The point of no return around a black hole. Once something crosses this boundary, it cannot escape the black hole's gravity.
Escape Velocity
The speed needed to break free from a gravitational field. For a black hole, this speed exceeds the speed of light.
Time Dilation
A phenomenon predicted by general relativity where time passes slower in stronger gravitational fields, such as near a black hole.
Accretion Disk
A disk of gas and dust that forms around a black hole, emitting intense radiation due to friction and heat.