The closest KNOWN black holes to Earth (only three have ever held the title)

00:00 - Introduction
01:33 - AD | Ground News
03:22 - Cygnus X-1, 1972
12:40 - A0620-00 V616 Monocerotis, 186
14:14 - Gaia BH1, 2022
17:53 - Bloopers

Video filmed on a Sony ⍺7 IV

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👩🏽‍💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford (Christ Church). I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.

[thomashead]

In 1974 I wrote a magazine article about Cygnus X-1 for my 9th grade high school English class. I picked the subject because it fascinated me as a young science nerd. I grew up in the space age and I could not get enough of it. Years later I designed microwave radios for spacecraft. Thank you for all that you do. I love your channel.

[theCodyReeder]

Kinda reminds me of people trying to find extremely tall cactus in Minecraft. "In this seed we found one just 1.5 million blocks from spawn!"

[darrelstickler]

@DrBecky It'd have been great to have blue polish on one hand and red on the other as you described Doppler effect

[dylanhalifaux]

Just to be clear. If the sun turned into a back hole, you would still die. Just not from being sucked into it.

[DeathlyTired]

What I take from this is that we definitely need another book from Dr. Becky to cover ongoing developments.
That being the case: keep those discoveries coming!

[patrikhjorth]

Suggestion for your "support staff" (the cat):

Put a box with a towel in it on your desk. That way, your cat will have a comfy spot from where to keep you company, and you will be (mostly) allowed to work in peace.

Bonus: place the cat bed within view of the camera, and instantly increase the appeal of your videos by 25% or more!

[henrymach]

Did you say Cygnus X-1? Ok, here we go...

Invisible
To telescopic eye
Infinity
The star that would not die

All who dare
To cross her course
Are swallowed by
A fearsome force

Through the void
To be destroyed
Or is there something more?
Atomized — at the core
Or through the Astral Door —
To soar…

[telescoper]

I taught an astronomy lab in 1974 which worked through the Cygnus X-1 data and concluded the secondary was probably a black hole. I was a teaching assistant in the introductory astronomy course at Cornell. Since Carl Sagan gave the lectures, it was a very popular course. But, to the chagrin of the students, Sagan was often away doing late night TV interviews.

[andyb]

You should do a video on the misconception of black holes sucking everything in. I feel you would do a good job of explaining the science behind why it is not a thing to be worried about.

[cmuller]

0:49 actually, the lack of solar wind and radiated head would affect smaller objects. Ex: comets won't have a tail. Oumuamua was precisely slightly diverted because of these effects.

[zenovanditzhuijzen]

I recently recommended your channel to a friend because she loves astronomy. She is going through a tough time and I hope your infectious enthusiasm about space can cheer her up. Wishing her all the strength and support she needs. And in case she sees this, I'd like to tell her: "Rise above the storm and find the sunshine!"

[warrengday]

I keep thinking about "only sucked in if within 6 km". Has profoundly changed my perspective on black holes.

[DolfLundgren-hnio]

Love the enthusiasm and easy to listen to voice.

[joyl]

How NASA managed to decide to retire Chandra X-ray Space Observatory is beyond me. There is so much more to be found in X-rays and Chandra is key in that.

[luudest]

I am looking forward for the first „Black Hole Tour in your Neighborhood“ 😂

[JosephDeLuna-yjvg]

Dr Becky You Are So Good At Telling The Science News As In A The Leman's Point Of View. We Need That.

[jesuschrist]

"scientists plan on solving global warming by turning sun into black hole"

[nichen]

Marvelous example of giving the example of the sun as a Black hole. Makes it so easy to understand as a lay person. Thanks.

[bettyswallocks]

The phrase ‘black hole formation’ put me in mind of a squadron of TIE fighters.

[SirLightfire]

What mass / distance would a BH have to be to be directly imaged by our current telescopes?
Either by accretion or micro lensing?