Smallest known Black Hole Discovered.

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MeteorWayne

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<p><font size="5" color="#000033"><font size="2">From spaceflightnow:</font></font></p><p>&nbsp;http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0804/01blackhole/</p><p><strong><font size="5" color="#000033">NASA scientists identify smallest known black hole<br /></font></strong><font face="VERDANA, ARIAL, HELVETICA, SANS-SERIF" size="-2"><strong>NASA-GODDARD NEWS RELEASE</strong><br />Posted: April 1, 2008</font></p><p>GREENBELT, Md. - Using a new technique, two NASA scientists have identified the lightest known black hole. With a mass only about 3.8 times greater than our Sun and a diameter of only about 15 miles, the black hole lies very close to the minimum size predicted for black holes that originate from dying stars. </p><p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="400"><tbody><tr><td width="400"><br />&nbsp;<br />
 
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doublehelix

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>"This black hole is really pushing the limits. For many years astronomers have wanted to know the smallest possible size of a black hole, and this little guy is a big step toward answering that question," says lead author Nikolai Shaposhnikov of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>I just glanced at the Wikipedia black hole article and I have some reading ahead of me, for sure.&nbsp; Black holes have always intrigued me, but I also feel apprehensive about them.&nbsp; The idea that nothing can escape a black hole is kind of frightening all by itself.&nbsp; One question:&nbsp; do black holes grow in size?&nbsp; I want to say yes, but perhaps that's just science fiction.</p><p>-dh</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#3366ff">doublehelix, Community Manager<br />Imaginova </font></p> </div>
 
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derekmcd

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I just glanced at the Wikipedia black hole article and I have some reading ahead of me, for sure.&nbsp; Black holes have always intrigued me, but I also feel apprehensive about them.&nbsp; The idea that nothing can escape a black hole is kind of frightening all by itself.&nbsp; One question:&nbsp; do black holes grow in size?&nbsp; I want to say yes, but perhaps that's just science fiction.-dh <br /> Posted by doublehelix</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Not in any tangible, physical sense.&nbsp; It's like watching your bank account grow (or in my case, via derekmcd radiation, shrink)... it's just mathematical.&nbsp; The higher the numbers you see on your statement, the larger effect you can have on the economy.</p><p>The more massive the singularity, the larger the area of effect it has on the region of spacetime around it.&nbsp; It not something you can hold in your hand and watch grow like an expanding balloon.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>
 
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doublehelix

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;Not in any tangible, physical sense.&nbsp; It's like watching your bank account grow (or in my case, via derekmcd radiation, shrink)... it's just mathematical.&nbsp; The higher the numbers you see on your statement, the larger effect you can have on the economy.The more massive the singularity, the larger the area of effect it has on the region of spacetime around it.&nbsp; It not something you can hold in your hand and watch grow like an expanding balloon.&nbsp; <br /> Posted by derekmcd</DIV></p><p>Do you mean that a black hole can increase in intensity rather than take up more space real estate, and its effect on that which is around it becomes more pronounced?</p><p>Thanks for educating,</p><p>-dh&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#3366ff">doublehelix, Community Manager<br />Imaginova </font></p> </div>
 
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derekmcd

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Do you mean that a black hole can increase in intensity rather than take up more space real estate, and its effect on that which is around it becomes more pronounced?Thanks for educating,-dh&nbsp; <br /> Posted by doublehelix</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Not sure if I would use intensity to describe it as it might be misleading.&nbsp; The smaller the black hole is, the more 'intense' the gravity is near the event horizon due to being closer to the center of mass.</p><p>I would say a more massive black hole has more influence over larger distances.&nbsp; It scales better over longer distances beyond its event horizon, than a smaller black hole.</p><p>Gravity of a black hole works the same as any other sufficiently massive object in space.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>
 
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gtarczar

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YES BLACK HOLES CAN DIFFER IN BOTH SIZE AND MASS FROM THE SUPER MASSIVE SINGULARITY FOUND AT THE CENTER OF MANY GALAXIES TO THE ONE DSCRIBED IN THE ABOVE ARTICLE WITH A DIAMETER OF ONLY 15 MILES AND A SOLAR MASS OF@ 3.5. IF THIS BLACK HOLE ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER SINGULARITY THE SAME SIZE THAN THEY WOULD SWALLOW EACH OTHER (SO TO SPEAK) THEREBY DOUBLING IN SIZE TO BECOME A LARGER SINGULARITY. ITS NOT KNOWN IF A SINGULARITY OF THIS SIZE COULD SWALLOW A STAR BUT IT MOST CERTAINLY WOULD&nbsp;'SUCK UP ENERGY' FROM IT RESULTING IN A TYPE OF PULSAR ps sorry for capitals didnt mean to 'yell' keyboard malfunction!
 
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