TON 618, the largest black hole known, has a mass roughly 16,500 times that of the Milky Way’s black hole.
Key Takeaways
- TON 618 holds the title as the most massive black hole ever discovered, with an astonishing mass of 66 billion solar masses.
- Black holes grow by accumulating matter, but the process is difficult due to their intense gravitational pull and vast distances across the Universe.
- Spaghettification occurs when objects are pulled into a black hole, becoming elongated due to the intense differential gravitational forces.
- The event horizon is the boundary beyond which light cannot escape, marking the black hole’s size and its gravitational influence.
- Collisions between particles in the accretion disc around black holes can transfer energy, contributing to the material falling into the black hole.
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TON 618 is the largest known black hole, with a staggering mass of 66 billion solar masses. For comparison, the Milky Way’s central black hole, Sagittarius A*, is a mere 4 million solar masses. This ultramassive black hole has prompted scientists to coin a new term—ultramassive black hole—to describe its extraordinary size. Located millions of light-years away, TON 618 defies the conventional understanding of how black holes form and grow.
How Black Holes Accumulate Mass
Despite their immense gravitational pull, black holes don’t effortlessly consume everything in their vicinity. They grow by slowly accumulating matter, primarily from gas and stars orbiting them. However, the challenge lies in getting matter close enough to be pulled in, especially when considering how dense black holes are packed into such a tiny space relative to their massive size. TON 618 is no exception, with its colossal size presenting a unique challenge in understanding its formation.
The process by which black holes attract and consume matter is known as accretion. Within this process, particles collide and transfer energy, creating a dynamic system where some particles gain energy and are pushed away, while others lose energy and are pulled into the black hole. This results in a swirling accretion disc, much like the flattened spinning dough used to create pizza bases. Over time, the material within this disc orbits closer to the black hole, eventually crossing the event horizon—the boundary from which not even light can escape.
Spaghettification and the Event Horizon
One of the most fascinating aspects of black holes is their gravitational forces, which increase dramatically as you approach the event horizon. If you were to approach a black hole head-first, the gravitational pull at your feet would be much stronger than at your head, causing you to be stretched out like spaghetti—a phenomenon known as spaghettification. This process illustrates the brutal forces at play near black holes, as material becomes elongated and eventually pulled into orbit or crushed down into the singularity at the center.
TON 618’s event horizon is enormous, reflecting its massive size. Its gravitational influence is so extreme that even entire galaxies can orbit it, despite the vast distances involved. Understanding how this ultramassive black hole reached such a colossal size is a mystery that continues to puzzle astronomers.
TON 618 has opened new doors for research into ultramassive black holes and their formation. Scientists believe that massive black holes like TON 618 likely formed from the merging of multiple smaller black holes, amplifying their size over time. This discovery challenges current theories about black hole growth and pushes the boundaries of what we know about these enigmatic celestial objects.
As we continue to study TON 618 and other black holes, we gain deeper insights into the mysteries of the Universe and the extreme environments in which these massive entities reside.
