NASA Accidentally Discovers Giant Black Holes

A powerful NASA telescope has found not one, but ten supermassive black holes. And it did so on accident! Trace explains what exactly black holes are and why the discovery is so awesome.

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About NuSTAR: The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
"The NuSTAR mission has deployed the first orbiting telescopes to focus light in the high energy X-ray (6 - 79 keV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our view of the universe in this spectral window has been limited because previous orbiting telescopes have not employed true focusing optics, but rather have used coded apertures that have intrinsically high backgrounds and limited sensitivity."

Catching Black Holes on the Fly
"NASA's black-hole-hunter spacecraft, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has "bagged" its first 10 supermassive black holes. The mission, which has a mast the length of a school bus, is the first telescope capable of focusing the highest-energy X-ray light into detailed pictures."

NASA discovers 10 supermassive black holes ... by accident
"These black holes hide in the center of galaxies, pulling in matter around them. As matter falls in, the supermassive black hole ejects a huge burst of X-ray radiation. That's what the NuSTAR telescope detected."

Black Holes May Have Been Common in Early Universe
"Black holes may have been abundant among the first stars in the universe, helping explain the origin of the supermassive monsters that lurk at the heart of galaxies today, researchers say."

Black Holes: Facts, Theory & Definition
"Black holes are some of the strangest and most fascinating objects found in outer space. They are objects of extreme density, with such strong gravitational attraction that even light cannot escape from their grasp if it comes near enough."

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[HoodedGargoyle]

i find the mystery of space so interesting. There is so much we don't know. So much to discover.

[amandastevens]

I thought stars collapsed when they go to receive their oscars.

[BourneThisWay]

What if a black hole is just a ball of gravity? What if the reason light can't pass through a black hole is because it bends the light? What if when a black hole atomizes nearby objects and sucks it into the center of its giant ball of gravity, it releases all of it in the form of energy when it gets too crowded due to friction at the atomic level? Also, there's a lot of speculation about a black hole being a worm hole, but it doesn't make sense. If a worm hole (in space) is a shortcut to another part of space, it shouldn't pull you in because, neither side of the worm hole has gravity; there's nothing on either side to pull you in. If you were able to be pulled in, you'd be pulled in from both sides, thus keeping you in the middle of the worm hole.

[GFlCh]

How was it "by accident" if its purpose was to find them?

[TWJfdsa]

long ago i found a black hole in my checking account!!

[imaninjajk]

a proud geek doesn't need to wear a shirt that says geek

[troyfretwell]

black holes are so cool. there are so many powerful forces in space that scientists are only beginning to understand. it is all magical and beautiful

[goldyboy]

I like how he doesn't try to hard to be humorous but rather gives out the information on why we all clicked this video

[saigeguerra]

I immediately thought of "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse. 😂 Is there something wrong with me? 😟

[deathd]

where do things go when they fall into black holes?

[hydernoori]

The black hole in the center of our galaxy does NOT hold the galaxy together. Dark matter does.

[Mageprince]

if space is black and the holes are black is space a black hole?

[ZackLee]

If space is black and black holes are black, whos to say we are in a black hole?

[lancastergreenfield]

biggest black hole i see was Kayne's ego

[artistaroundtheblock]

What happens when two black holes are very close to each other?

[bobym]

lol... poor frog i bet it got roasted.

[Treblaine]

I thought that if a star collapses into a black hole, at any distance beyond the surface of the star the effect of gravity doesn't change. Just because the concentration of mass is much higher in a black hole doesn't change gravity far beyond the event horizon.

[grifonecoronato]

Black holes are awesome! Do more black hole episodes!!

[hemakatyal]

If the blackholes r also a time machine??

[ThisBeMaUsername]

I think black holes are a part of a higher dimension