The Big Event, 2024
May 6-10, 2024
We have reached the event horizon, and it’s time to get pulled into Black Hole Week! Check out the stories, images, and news we’ve released so far this week, listed below. And come back throughout the week for more.
Monday, May 6
Poster: On the Brink
It can be disorienting teetering on the edge of the event horizon, contemplating the darkness that surely lies within.
Image: Galaxy with a Voracious Black Hole
Bright, starry spiral arms surround an active galactic center in this new Hubble image of galaxy NGC 4951.
Article: New NASA Black Hole Viz Takes Viewers Beyond the Brink
Ever wonder what happens when you fall into a black hole? A new NASA visualization gives you an idea.
Video: NASA Simulation’s Flight Around a Black Hole: Explained
Explore a scenario where a camera just misses a black hole's event horizon and slingshots back out
Resources: Black Hole Plunge and Flyby Videos
Browse explainer, 360, and Mollweide projection versions of black hole plunge and flyby videos.
Tuesday, May 7
Article: How NASA’s Roman Will Hunt for Primordial Black Holes
A group of scientists has predicted that Roman could find a class of elusive “featherweight” black holes.
Resources: Primordial Black Holes
Access an infographic about and an artist's concept of primordial black holes.
NASA's Sounds of Space Quiz
Test your sonification knowledge by matching sound to image in this quiz.
Wednesday, May 8
Article: XRISM Spots Iron Fingerprints in Nearby Active Galaxy
After starting science operations in February, Japan-led XRISM studied the monster black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4151.
Video: What Is a Black Hole?
Black holes — what are they really? Watch the first episode of the “Astro-Investigates” series.
Wallpapers: Black Hole Backgrounds for Desktop and Phone
Black holes can’t emit their own light, but matter around them can create quite a light show. Download these wallpapers for your screens.
