Background
Scientists have discovered what may be the smallest-known black hole in the Milky Way galaxy and the closest to our solar system.’
The Unicorn
The black hole has been dubbed ‘The Unicorn’ in part because it is, so far, one of a kind, and in part because it was found in the constellation Monoceros – “The Unicorn.”
According to the researchers, the black hole is roughly three times the mass of our Sun, testing the lower limits of size for these extraordinarily dense objects.
V723 Mon
A luminous red giant star orbits with the black hole in a so-called binary star system named V723 Mon.
Black hole
According to the NASA, a black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes.
