How Massive Can Black Holes Get? Super Super Supermassive Black Holes

TL;DR

Black holes can grow to billions of times the Sun's mass, with supermassive ones at galaxy centers. Tiny black holes may exist too.

Transcript

we talked about stellar mass and supermassive black holes but what are the limits how massive can these things get so without the light pressure from nuclear fusion to hold back the mass of the star the outer layers compress inward in an instant the star dies exploding violently as a supernova and all that's left behind is a black hole they start a... Read More

Key Insights

• 💗 Black holes can range from a few times the Sun's mass to billions, growing through accretion.
• 🖤 Supermassive black holes at galaxy centers have masses in the billions of solar masses.
• 🖤 Black holes emit relativistic jets, helping astronomers determine their sizes.
• 🖤 The rapid growth of black holes challenges current astrophysical models.
• 🖤 Primordial black holes, potentially with planet-sized masses, remain theoretical but intriguing.
• 🙂 Observing black holes across the universe sheds light on their formation and evolution.
• 🖤 The existence of tiny black holes from the early universe is a tantalizing but unproven theory.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do astronomers determine the mass of supermassive black holes?

Astronomers observe the orbits of stars near these black holes and measure the relativistic jets emitted, indicating huge masses.

Q: Are there limits to how massive black holes can become?

There seems to be no upper limit to a black hole's mass, with supermassive ones reaching billions of solar masses at galaxy centers.

Q: What are primordial black holes, and how could they have formed?

Primordial black holes are theoretical, potentially formed from early universe density fluctuations, with masses as small as a planet.

Q: Why does the rapid growth of black holes pose a concern for astronomers?

The fast accumulation of mass in a black hole challenges our understanding of their formation and growth mechanisms, leaving astronomers puzzled.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Black holes can grow from three times the Sun's mass to billions, leading to supernovae and supermassive black holes.

• Observations of stars around the Milky Way's center and jets from giant black holes help astronomers measure their massive sizes.

• The existence of tiny primordial black holes, potentially as small as a planet, remains speculative in the universe.