A Supermassive Black Hole at the Core of a Galaxy (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

A Supermassive Black Hole at the Core of a Galaxy

Caption

This computer-simulated image shows a supermassive black hole at the core of a galaxy. The black region in the center represents the black hole's event horizon, where no light can escape the massive object's gravitational grip. The black hole's powerful gravity distorts space around it like a funhouse mirror. Light from background stars is stretched and smeared as the stars skim by the black hole.

Credit

Credits: NASA, ESA, and D. Coe, J. Anderson, and R. van der Marel (STScI)

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