Black Holes: How Do We See That Which Gives Off No Light?
Stephanie La Massa, Space Telescope Science Institute
Black holes are the most enigmatic objects in the Universe, objects so dense that not even light can escape from them. A natural consequence of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, they have in the past been considered theoretical curiosities. However, observational evidence of black holes has become abundant over the past several decades.
Though black holes give off no light, we can infer their presence based on the effect they have on their surroundings. Dr. La Massa will highlight the clues we use to discover black holes from within our Galaxy to the edges of the Universe. Recent ground-breaking observations from the Event Horizon Telescope and gravitational waves have pushed the boundaries of our knowledge about black holes. Still, many important questions remain, which the next generation of ground and space-based telescopes will help answer.
News from the Universe starts at 3:08
Main talk starts at 12:22
Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute
Recorded live on Tuesday, November 1, 2022
More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
