Scientists Discover Teeny Tiny Black Hole 277
AbsoluteXyro writes "According to a Space.com article, NASA scientists have discovered the smallest known black hole to date. The object is known as 'XTE J1650-500'. Weighing in at a scant 3.8 solar masses and measuring only 15 miles across, this finding sheds new light on the lower limit of black hole sizes and the critical threshold at which a star will become a black hole upon its death, rather than a neutron star. XTE J1650-500 beats out the previous record holder, GRO 1655-40, by about 2.5 solar masses."
That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
(But who will be there to measure...?)
Name (Score:1, Funny)
But XTE J1650-500 is so bland! I think we should name it Mooseknuckle.
Is it smaller than this one? (Score:4, Funny)
LHC countdown (Score:2, Funny)
Black-hole... sheds new light... (Score:5, Funny)
We weren't the first (Score:5, Funny)
Awwww, little baby one (Score:5, Funny)
Goldilocks (Score:5, Funny)
When we find the most average, space bears will come and blast us into porridge.
Astronomy kicks ass.
Completely Off topic (Score:1, Funny)
True theyve probably got a good market to advertise to, Helena wont need as much inflating as your LatexLove3000 but it just seems odd to see them all over Slashdot.
Re:15 miles across? (Score:3, Funny)
About 10^68 yr. Bring a book.
Bemopolis
Re:That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
"this finding sheds new light" (Score:5, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:We weren't the first (Score:4, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:We weren't the first (Score:4, Funny)
Size does matter (Score:2, Funny)
It's not the size of your black hole that matters, it's how you manage your singularity.
Oh shit... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:We weren't the first (Score:3, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, nm, don't say it, it's too obvious....
Re:That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
What the article fails to pont out is ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Oh shit... (Score:5, Funny)
Not to worry, the Enterprise is speeding around the Sun as we speak... Space-whales told them to.
Re:That's nothing... (Score:3, Funny)
Relax (Score:4, Funny)
Besides never apply a Star Trek solution to a Babylon Five problem. [starwreck.com]
Atkins? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:4, Funny)
But... it needs more string theory.
Re:Probably Something Stupid (Score:2, Funny)
Sure you can measure what's going on past the event horizon of a black hole. All you have to do is make your camera's velocity exceed the force created (or rather possessed) by a photon going at the speed of light, and presto! You now have a camera that can probe farther into the gravimetric field of a black hole than light by itself.
Unless you're one of those General Relativity literalists. *shudder*
Re:That's nothing... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Relax (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Probably Something Stupid (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Relax (Score:3, Funny)
I dunno, but... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:That's nothing... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Goldilocks (Score:3, Funny)
BEARS!!
http://www.livescience.com/space/scienceastronomy/080402-medium-black-holes.html [livescience.com]