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There's a Hole in the Middle of It All

Apparition writes "CNN is reporting that the star at the center of our galaxy is actually a super-massive black hole. The article then claims that it occupies a volume of space about 3 times that of our solar system. If my math is correct, about 230 million suns could fit into that same volume, so it doesn't impress me that the claimed mass of the black hole is only between 2.6 and 3.7 million times that of the sun. So what is up here? Since when do black holes occupy so much space (I thought they were points)? And how can something with a density only 1/100 of our Sun be called super-massive?" I think the article is talking about a maximum possible size of the object, due to limitations on the resolution of our instruments. Nature has a no-registration story about the research. Update: 10/16 23:44 GMT by M : There's an article with more information on space.com, and a press release from the European Southern Observatory.

8 of 572 comments (clear)

  1. Why, that's no hole! by Chagatai · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    It's CowboyNeal!

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    --Chag
  2. Re:So how long... by name_already_in_use · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I do not who Bob Saget is, but accroding to this he is God, so I'll take that as a compliment ;)

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    Rake Free + Mac Poker: CardCrusade
  3. Rickety by Phayyde · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I don't know. The whole thing just seems sort of rickety to me.

  4. Re:Naked (and Petrified!!!) singularities by JimmytheGeek · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I'd prefer naked and petrified celebrities.

    Imagine a beowulf galaxy cluster, though.

  5. Hole Finders, Inc. by Reziac · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    "And I'll make billions and billions from the book contract and the TV show with the government funding for looking for the nothing in the hole in the middle of it all..." -- Frank Hayes, DON'T ASK

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    ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  6. Re:This is how it's gonna be. by porksoda · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Uh, I think every galaxy has one of these in its center. I further believe that every galaxy will consequently get sucked into its black hole. Once that has been carried out successfully, the now entirely too massive black holes will begin to attract each other, during which the universe will begin collapse in on itself, at which time everything will implode within a matter of mere moments (which will appear to stretch out for billions of years due to time dilation) so that everything becomes an infinitely small and infinitely massive point. At that time, time loops over itself and the big bang happens. (I feel like I've written this before... in another life perhaps.)

    TV: "a Hans Moleman productions present... Hans Moleman in... Man Getting Hit By FootBall."
    (boink)
    (man doubles over in pain, grabbing crotch)

    Homer: (hysterical laughter) "This contest is over, give that man the $10,000."

    sir i think you're on to something. i got a question - would two black holes attract each other, and move closer and closer together?

  7. Bait? by BoBaBrain · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    [HUMOUR] There's a Hole in the Middle of It All

    You're just begging for the goatse.cx guy to rear his ugly "head", aren't you Michael? [/HUMOUR]

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    I am a Karma Library.
  8. Re:Event Horizon by lhdentra · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, that's nothing to do with the big bang - it's just a great way to relax.