Black Holes Could Grow As Large As 50 Billion Suns

[Fanghawk]

Black Holes Could Grow As Large As 50 Billion Suns

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/955/955080.jpgWhat's the largest possible mass of a black hole? According to a new scientific study, perhaps as high as 50 billion suns.

Black holes are still one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy, both literally and figuratively. That's why scientists study them so intensely, whether <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/141955-Supermassive-Black-Hole-At-Center-Of-Distant-Galaxy-Is-Surprisingly-Small>measuring their size or checking to see <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142110-Stephen-Hawking-Says-Black-Holes-Might-Exit-To-Parallel-Dimensions>if they're doorways to other dimensions. But there's much we don't know, including their maximum size. Astronomical theorist Andrew King of the University of Leicester tried to solve this problem by calculating the highest possible growth of a black hole. According to his study, it seems they're capable of carrying a staggering mass of 50 billion suns. (For context, supermassive black holes near our galaxy are roughly six billion suns strong.)

After black holes are born from the intense gravitational pressure of collapsing stars, they continue to grow <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165206-Supermassive-Black-Hole-Seen-Eating-A-Star-For-The-First-Time>by feeding on whatever unlucky stellar phenomena happens to be nearby. This food source is usually interstellar gas, which settles into a convienient disc shape around the black hole. Based on King's calculations, once the black hole reaches 50 billion solar masses, the disc is too unstable to be maintained, breaking down its chain of growth.

King does admit, however, that it's possible for black holes to grow beyond this 50 billion mass limit. But at those levels, they require something more substantial than gas. "Bigger black hole masses are in principle possible," King writes. "For example, a hole near the maximum mass could merge with another black hole, and the result would be bigger still. But no light would be produced in this merger, and the bigger merged black hole could not have a disc of gas that would make light."

That's right, these utterly massive black holes would be practically invisible. It's one of the few cases where the bigger something is, the stealthier it gets, like some kind of black hole ninja. Thankfully none of these black holes seem to be near the Earth ... at least, not that we know of.

Source: The Space Reporter

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[Souplex]

After reading, I feel obligated to point out that the title is misleading.
The largest a black hole can be while remaining observable is 50 billion suns according to this article, but there doesn't seem to be an upper limit on how big they can be.

 

[direkiller]

After reading, I feel obligated to point out that the title is misleading.
The largest a black hole can be while remaining observable is 50 billion suns according to this article, but there doesn't seem to be an upper limit on how big they can be.

Which is also sort of weird because there would be a galaxy around the SMBH.

Unless this becomes too unstable for that.

 

[Albino Boo]

After reading, I feel obligated to point out that the title is misleading.
The largest a black hole can be while remaining observable is 50 billion suns according to this article, but there doesn't seem to be an upper limit on how big they can be.

The article is saying that above 50 billion solar masses the normal method of black hole growth ceases to function. Black hole growth can occur by the remote chance of smaller black hole being in range.

Which is also sort of weird because there would be a galaxy around the SMBH.

Unless this becomes too unstable for that.

The average galaxy is something like 100,000 to 200,000 light years across. Even a SMBH gravitational well effects are limited when dealing on that scale.

 

[direkiller]

The average galaxy is something like 100,000 to 200,000 light years across. Even a SMBH gravitational well effects are limited when dealing on that scale.

Which is why I was confused, you would still know the thing is there simply by the galaxy around it(50billion solar masses is higher then any know smbh) even if it did not have a visible disk.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Unless my math is off, that would mean a Schwartzschild radius of about 1.5*10^11 km or 0.016 light years (versus our own Milky Way's SMBH's measly 1.27*10^10 km). Sagittarius A* would basically have to swallow 5% of the Milky Way to become that big. Holy shit.

 

[Albino Boo]

Which is why I was confused, you would still know the thing is there simply by the galaxy around it(50 billion solar masses is higher than any know smbh) even if it did not have a visible disk.

Its one of things when you're talking about percentages. The accretion disk gives an indication of the diameter of object at its centre, when mixed with gravitational effects will show if mets the prediction of a black hole. Without anyway of observing anything other than gravitational effects you can no longer make a best guess as to what its is.

Unless my math is off, that would mean a Schwartzschild radius of about 1.5*10^11 km or 0.016 light years (versus our own Milky Way's SMBH's measly 1.27*10^10 km). Sagittarius A* would basically have to swallow 5% of the Milky Way to become that big. Holy shit.

Sagittarius A* is only about 4 million solar masses is unusually low in galactic centres SMBH terms.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Unless my math is off, that would mean a Schwartzschild radius of about 1.5*10^11 km or 0.016 light years (versus our own Milky Way's SMBH's measly 1.27*10^10 km). Sagittarius A* would basically have to swallow 5% of the Milky Way to become that big. Holy shit.

Sagittarius A* is only about 4 million solar masses is unusually low in galactic centres SMBH terms.

Always odd to talk about 'comparatively small' when it comes to black holes.

 

[RicoADF]

Unless my math is off, that would mean a Schwartzschild radius of about 1.5*10^11 km or 0.016 light years (versus our own Milky Way's SMBH's measly 1.27*10^10 km). Sagittarius A* would basically have to swallow 5% of the Milky Way to become that big. Holy shit.

Sagittarius A* is only about 4 million solar masses is unusually low in galactic centres SMBH terms.

Always odd to talk about 'comparatively small' when it comes to black holes.

"Pfft it can only swollow our sun a million times, small fries!" Kind of funny when you think about it.

 

[Akisa]

Unless my math is off, that would mean a Schwartzschild radius of about 1.5*10^11 km or 0.016 light years (versus our own Milky Way's SMBH's measly 1.27*10^10 km). Sagittarius A* would basically have to swallow 5% of the Milky Way to become that big. Holy shit.

Sagittarius A* is only about 4 million solar masses is unusually low in galactic centres SMBH terms.

Always odd to talk about 'comparatively small' when it comes to black holes.

"Pfft it can only swollow our sun a million times, small fries!" Kind of funny when you think about it.

Well in theory you can have a blackhole smaller than your hand if it's dense enough.