What Is The Biggest Black Hole In The Universe?
Did you know that black holes are the most massive and fascinating objects in the entire universe? Their gravitational pull is so incredibly strong that not even light can escape from them! Despite their immense mass, most black holes are surprisingly not very large in terms of physical size. For instance, the black hole at the heart of our galaxy is over one million times the mass of the sun, yet it's only about the size of our solar system. This mind-boggling phenomenon occurs because the extreme mass of black holes compresses them into a small area of space. It's truly amazing to think about! However, there are some black holes out there that are truly gigantic. I wonder, what do you think is the biggest black hole in the entire universe?
The Phoenix Cluster
The absolutely incredible discovery of the largest black hole to date has left the scientific community in awe! Located within the mesmerizing Phoenix galaxy cluster, a staggering 8.5 billion light years away, this remarkable find has sparked immense interest and excitement. The Phoenix Cluster, renowned as one of the most intensely studied galaxy clusters in our vast universe, is home to a staggering 1,000 individual galaxies. What's more, the galaxies within this cluster exhibit an extraordinarily high rate of star formation, with the central galaxy, Phoenix A, standing out as the true shining star. Star formation in Phoenix A is an astonishing 700 times higher than in our very own Milky Way. This remarkable galaxy is currently in the midst of a starburst phase, where the rate of star formation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. It's truly awe-inspiring to witness such a dynamic and active galaxy like Phoenix A in our universe!
Star formation alone is not what makes Phoenix A an interesting target for research. At the center of the galaxy there exists the largest black hole ever discovered. Estimates of its mass and size make this black hole a true behemoth, and it is unlike anything in our galaxy or in any of the galaxies in our galactic neighborhood. The mass of the central black hole is estimated to be 100 billion times larger than the sun. The supermassive black hole is even more massive than some galaxies, and is about 10% the mass of the entire Milky Way. The event horizon of the black hole has a diameter of 590 billion kilometres, or about 100 times the distance between the sun and Pluto. Travelling at the speed of light, it would take you 71 days to traverse the entire circumference of the black hole. The mass of this black hole is so large that it would have been impossible for it to form from a star. Rather, the supermassive black hole of Phoenix A likely formed from the collision of multiple supermassive black holes that formed shortly after the Big Bang, which means that it may be one of the oldest black holes in the universe. Furthermore, the black hole itself is actually growing in size and mass. It is currently absorbing vast amounts of material and is increasing its mass by 60 suns every year.
