{ "id": 14146, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Black Hole Desktop & Phone Wallpapers", "description": "While black holes can’t emit their own light, matter surrounding and falling toward it can create quite a light show. Here you’ll find a collection of data visualizations, illustrations, and telescope images of black hole environments. Download these phone and desktop wallpapers for your screens. || ", "release_date": "2022-05-04T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2024-05-02T21:18:36.850003-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 371721, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop.png", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 }, "main_video": null, "main_credits": {}, "progress": "Complete", "media_groups": [ { "id": 314680, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314680", "widget": "Basic text with HTML", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "While black holes can’t emit their own light, matter surrounding and falling toward it can create quite a light show. Here you’ll find a collection of data visualizations, illustrations, and telescope images of black hole environments.

Download these phone and desktop wallpapers for your screens.

", "items": [], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314681, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314681", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation

These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018

", "items": [ { "id": 212612, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371723, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 212610, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371721, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop.png", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212611, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371722, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_phone.png", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_phone.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212613, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371724, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_searchweb.png", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_searchweb.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 212614, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371725, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_thm.png", "filename": "SupermassiveBinaryBlackHoles_desktop_thm.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supermassive Black Hole Binary Simulation These two black holes are just 40 orbits away from merging in this simulation of the light their environment emits as they dance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Noble; simulation data, d'Ascoli et al. 2018", "width": 80, "height": 40, "pixels": 3200 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314682, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314682", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Doubly Warped World of Binary Black Holes

This image shows the warped view of a larger supermassive black hole (red) when it passes almost directly behind a companion black hole (blue) with half its mass. The gravity of the foreground black hole transforms its partner into a surreal collection of arcs.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here. (version 1) and here. (version 2).

Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman and Brian P. Powell

", "items": [ { "id": 212615, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371727, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/DoublyWarpedBlackHole_desktop.png", "filename": "DoublyWarpedBlackHole_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Doubly Warped World of Binary Black HolesThis image shows the warped view of a larger supermassive black hole (red) when it passes almost directly behind a companion black hole (blue) with half its mass. The gravity of the foreground black hole transforms its partner into a surreal collection of arcs. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here. (version 1) and here. (version 2). Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman and Brian P. Powell", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212616, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371728, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/DoublyWarpedBlackHole_phone2.png", "filename": "DoublyWarpedBlackHole_phone2.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Doubly Warped World of Binary Black HolesThis image shows the warped view of a larger supermassive black hole (red) when it passes almost directly behind a companion black hole (blue) with half its mass. The gravity of the foreground black hole transforms its partner into a surreal collection of arcs. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here. (version 1) and here. (version 2). Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman and Brian P. Powell", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212617, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371729, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/DoublyWarpedBlackHole_phone1.png", "filename": "DoublyWarpedBlackHole_phone1.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Doubly Warped World of Binary Black HolesThis image shows the warped view of a larger supermassive black hole (red) when it passes almost directly behind a companion black hole (blue) with half its mass. The gravity of the foreground black hole transforms its partner into a surreal collection of arcs. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here. (version 1) and here. (version 2). Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman and Brian P. Powell", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212618, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371726, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/DoublyWarpedBlackHole_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "DoublyWarpedBlackHole_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Doubly Warped World of Binary Black HolesThis image shows the warped view of a larger supermassive black hole (red) when it passes almost directly behind a companion black hole (blue) with half its mass. The gravity of the foreground black hole transforms its partner into a surreal collection of arcs. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here. (version 1) and here. (version 2). Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman and Brian P. Powell", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314683, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314683", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Black Hole Accretion Disk and Corona

A black hole pulls material off a neighboring star and into an accretion disk in this illustration of a black hole named MAXI J1820+070. Above the disk is a region of superhot subatomic particles called the corona.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: Aurore Simonnet and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

", "items": [ { "id": 212619, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371732, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BlackHoleDisk_desktop.png", "filename": "BlackHoleDisk_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk and CoronaA black hole pulls material off a neighboring star and into an accretion disk in this illustration of a black hole named MAXI J1820+070. Above the disk is a region of superhot subatomic particles called the corona.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Aurore Simonnet and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212620, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371731, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BlackHoleDisk_phone.png", "filename": "BlackHoleDisk_phone.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk and CoronaA black hole pulls material off a neighboring star and into an accretion disk in this illustration of a black hole named MAXI J1820+070. Above the disk is a region of superhot subatomic particles called the corona.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Aurore Simonnet and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212621, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371730, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BlackHoleDisk_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "BlackHoleDisk_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk and CoronaA black hole pulls material off a neighboring star and into an accretion disk in this illustration of a black hole named MAXI J1820+070. Above the disk is a region of superhot subatomic particles called the corona.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Aurore Simonnet and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314684, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314684", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "A Multiwavelength View of the Milky Way’s Center

The central region of our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains an exotic collection of objects, including a supermassive black hole weighing about 4 million times the mass of the Sun, clouds of gas at temperatures of millions of degrees, neutron stars and white dwarf stars tearing material from companion stars, and beautiful tendrils of radio emission. This new composite image shows Chandra data (green and blue) combined with radio data (red) from the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: X-Ray:NASA/CXC/UMass/D. Wang et al.; Radio:NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT

", "items": [ { "id": 212622, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371735, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GalacticCenter_desktop.png", "filename": "GalacticCenter_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A Multiwavelength View of the Milky Way’s CenterThe central region of our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains an exotic collection of objects, including a supermassive black hole weighing about 4 million times the mass of the Sun, clouds of gas at temperatures of millions of degrees, neutron stars and white dwarf stars tearing material from companion stars, and beautiful tendrils of radio emission. This new composite image shows Chandra data (green and blue) combined with radio data (red) from the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-Ray:NASA/CXC/UMass/D. Wang et al.; Radio:NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT ", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212623, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371734, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GalacticCenter_phone.png", "filename": "GalacticCenter_phone.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A Multiwavelength View of the Milky Way’s CenterThe central region of our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains an exotic collection of objects, including a supermassive black hole weighing about 4 million times the mass of the Sun, clouds of gas at temperatures of millions of degrees, neutron stars and white dwarf stars tearing material from companion stars, and beautiful tendrils of radio emission. This new composite image shows Chandra data (green and blue) combined with radio data (red) from the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-Ray:NASA/CXC/UMass/D. Wang et al.; Radio:NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT ", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212624, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371733, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GalacticCenter_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "GalacticCenter_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A Multiwavelength View of the Milky Way’s CenterThe central region of our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains an exotic collection of objects, including a supermassive black hole weighing about 4 million times the mass of the Sun, clouds of gas at temperatures of millions of degrees, neutron stars and white dwarf stars tearing material from companion stars, and beautiful tendrils of radio emission. This new composite image shows Chandra data (green and blue) combined with radio data (red) from the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-Ray:NASA/CXC/UMass/D. Wang et al.; Radio:NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT ", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314685, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314685", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Black Hole Jets in Hercules A

Spectacular jets powered by the gravitational energy of a supermassive black hole in the core of the elliptical galaxy Hercules A as imaged by Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Baum and C. O'Dea (RIT), R. Perley and W. Cotton (NRAO/AUI/NSF), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

", "items": [ { "id": 212625, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371737, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/HerculesA_desktop.png", "filename": "HerculesA_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Hercules ASpectacular jets powered by the gravitational energy of a supermassive black hole in the core of the elliptical galaxy Hercules A as imaged by Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Baum and C. O'Dea (RIT), R. Perley and W. Cotton (NRAO/AUI/NSF), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212626, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371738, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/HerculesA_phone.png", "filename": "HerculesA_phone.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Hercules ASpectacular jets powered by the gravitational energy of a supermassive black hole in the core of the elliptical galaxy Hercules A as imaged by Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Baum and C. O'Dea (RIT), R. Perley and W. Cotton (NRAO/AUI/NSF), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212627, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 371736, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/HerculesA_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "HerculesA_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Hercules ASpectacular jets powered by the gravitational energy of a supermassive black hole in the core of the elliptical galaxy Hercules A as imaged by Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Baum and C. O'Dea (RIT), R. Perley and W. Cotton (NRAO/AUI/NSF), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314686, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314686", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Black Hole Accretion Disk Visualization

This visualization of a black hole illustrates how its gravity distorts our view, warping its surroundings as if seen in a carnival mirror. The visualization simulates the appearance of a black hole where infalling matter has collected into a thin, hot structure called an accretion disk. The black hole’s extreme gravity skews light emitted by different regions of the disk, producing the misshapen appearance.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman

", "items": [ { "id": 212628, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855049, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_accretion_disk_viz_desktop.png", "filename": "BH_accretion_disk_viz_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk Visualization This visualization of a black hole illustrates how its gravity distorts our view, warping its surroundings as if seen in a carnival mirror. The visualization simulates the appearance of a black hole where infalling matter has collected into a thin, hot structure called an accretion disk. The black hole’s extreme gravity skews light emitted by different regions of the disk, producing the misshapen appearance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212629, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855050, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_accretion_disk_viz_mobile.png", "filename": "BH_accretion_disk_viz_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk Visualization This visualization of a black hole illustrates how its gravity distorts our view, warping its surroundings as if seen in a carnival mirror. The visualization simulates the appearance of a black hole where infalling matter has collected into a thin, hot structure called an accretion disk. The black hole’s extreme gravity skews light emitted by different regions of the disk, producing the misshapen appearance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212630, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855051, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_accretion_disk_viz_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "BH_accretion_disk_viz_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Accretion Disk Visualization This visualization of a black hole illustrates how its gravity distorts our view, warping its surroundings as if seen in a carnival mirror. The visualization simulates the appearance of a black hole where infalling matter has collected into a thin, hot structure called an accretion disk. The black hole’s extreme gravity skews light emitted by different regions of the disk, producing the misshapen appearance. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314687, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314687", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Supercomputer Simulation Frame of a Star Distorted by a Black Hole

This frame is from a simulation of a star weighing 15 percent of our Sun's mass passing close to a black hole that weighs about 1 million Suns. The black hole’s gravity stretches and deforms the star. These simulations show that destruction and survival depend on the stars’ initial densities. Yellow represents the greatest densities, blue the least dense.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Taeho Ryu (MPA)

", "items": [ { "id": 212631, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855052, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_shredding_star_desktop.png", "filename": "BH_shredding_star_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supercomputer Simulation Frame of a Star Distorted by a Black Hole This frame is from a simulation of a star weighing 15 percent of our Sun's mass passing close to a black hole that weighs about 1 million Suns. The black hole’s gravity stretches and deforms the star. These simulations show that destruction and survival depend on the stars’ initial densities. Yellow represents the greatest densities, blue the least dense.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Taeho Ryu (MPA)", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212632, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855053, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_shredding_star_mobile.png", "filename": "BH_shredding_star_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supercomputer Simulation Frame of a Star Distorted by a Black Hole This frame is from a simulation of a star weighing 15 percent of our Sun's mass passing close to a black hole that weighs about 1 million Suns. The black hole’s gravity stretches and deforms the star. These simulations show that destruction and survival depend on the stars’ initial densities. Yellow represents the greatest densities, blue the least dense.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Taeho Ryu (MPA)", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212633, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855054, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/BH_shredding_star_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "BH_shredding_star_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Supercomputer Simulation Frame of a Star Distorted by a Black Hole This frame is from a simulation of a star weighing 15 percent of our Sun's mass passing close to a black hole that weighs about 1 million Suns. The black hole’s gravity stretches and deforms the star. These simulations show that destruction and survival depend on the stars’ initial densities. Yellow represents the greatest densities, blue the least dense.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Taeho Ryu (MPA)", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314688, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314688", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Artist’s Concept of a Gamma-ray Burst

Two neutron stars begin to merge in this artist’s concept, blasting jets of high-speed particles and producing a cloud of debris. Scientists think these kinds of events are factories for a significant portion of the universe’s heavy elements, including gold.

Download the desktop version here.

Download the smartphone version here.

Credit: A. Simonnet (Sonoma State University) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

", "items": [ { "id": 212634, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855056, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_artist_concept_desktop.png", "filename": "GRB_artist_concept_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Gamma-ray Burst Two neutron stars begin to merge in this artist’s concept, blasting jets of high-speed particles and producing a cloud of debris. Scientists think these kinds of events are factories for a significant portion of the universe’s heavy elements, including gold.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: A. Simonnet (Sonoma State University) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212635, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855055, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_artist_concept_mobile..png", "filename": "GRB_artist_concept_mobile..png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Gamma-ray Burst Two neutron stars begin to merge in this artist’s concept, blasting jets of high-speed particles and producing a cloud of debris. Scientists think these kinds of events are factories for a significant portion of the universe’s heavy elements, including gold.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: A. Simonnet (Sonoma State University) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212636, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855057, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_artist_concept_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "GRB_artist_concept_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Gamma-ray Burst Two neutron stars begin to merge in this artist’s concept, blasting jets of high-speed particles and producing a cloud of debris. Scientists think these kinds of events are factories for a significant portion of the universe’s heavy elements, including gold.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: A. Simonnet (Sonoma State University) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314689, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314689", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Artist’s Concept of a Runaway Black Hole

This is an artist's concept of a runaway supermassive black hole that was ejected from its host galaxy as a result of a tussle between it and two other black holes. As the black hole plows through intergalactic space it compresses tenuous gas in front of it. This precipitates the birth of hot blue stars. This illustration is based on Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 200,000-light-year-long trail of stars behind an escaping black hole.

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Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)

", "items": [ { "id": 212637, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855058, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/runaway_black_hole_desktop.png", "filename": "runaway_black_hole_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Runaway Black Hole This is an artist's concept of a runaway supermassive black hole that was ejected from its host galaxy as a result of a tussle between it and two other black holes. As the black hole plows through intergalactic space it compresses tenuous gas in front of it. This precipitates the birth of hot blue stars. This illustration is based on Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 200,000-light-year-long trail of stars behind an escaping black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212638, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855059, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/runaway_black_hole_mobile.png", "filename": "runaway_black_hole_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Runaway Black Hole This is an artist's concept of a runaway supermassive black hole that was ejected from its host galaxy as a result of a tussle between it and two other black holes. As the black hole plows through intergalactic space it compresses tenuous gas in front of it. This precipitates the birth of hot blue stars. This illustration is based on Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 200,000-light-year-long trail of stars behind an escaping black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212639, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855060, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/runaway_black_hole_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "runaway_black_hole_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept of a Runaway Black Hole This is an artist's concept of a runaway supermassive black hole that was ejected from its host galaxy as a result of a tussle between it and two other black holes. As the black hole plows through intergalactic space it compresses tenuous gas in front of it. This precipitates the birth of hot blue stars. This illustration is based on Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 200,000-light-year-long trail of stars behind an escaping black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314690, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314690", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Dust Rings Illuminated by the Blast From the Birth of a Black Hole

The most common gamma-ray bursts signal the birth of black holes that form when the cores of massive stars collapse under their own weight. A few bursts have even enabled astronomers to probe distant dust clouds in our own galaxy. This image shows 19 of 20 dust rings detected by XMM-Newton from a gamma-ray burst first detected on October 9, 2022.

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Credit: ESA/XMM-Newton/M. Rigoselli (INAF)

", "items": [ { "id": 212640, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855061, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_dust_rings_desktop.png", "filename": "GRB_dust_rings_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Dust Rings Illuminated by the Blast From the Birth of a Black Hole The most common gamma-ray bursts signal the birth of black holes that form when the cores of massive stars collapse under their own weight. A few bursts have even enabled astronomers to probe distant dust clouds in our own galaxy. This image shows 19 of 20 dust rings detected by XMM-Newton from a gamma-ray burst first detected on October 9, 2022. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: ESA/XMM-Newton/M. Rigoselli (INAF)", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212641, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855062, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_dust_rings_mobile..png", "filename": "GRB_dust_rings_mobile..png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Dust Rings Illuminated by the Blast From the Birth of a Black Hole The most common gamma-ray bursts signal the birth of black holes that form when the cores of massive stars collapse under their own weight. A few bursts have even enabled astronomers to probe distant dust clouds in our own galaxy. This image shows 19 of 20 dust rings detected by XMM-Newton from a gamma-ray burst first detected on October 9, 2022. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: ESA/XMM-Newton/M. Rigoselli (INAF)", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212642, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855063, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/GRB_dust_rings_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "GRB_dust_rings_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Dust Rings Illuminated by the Blast From the Birth of a Black Hole The most common gamma-ray bursts signal the birth of black holes that form when the cores of massive stars collapse under their own weight. A few bursts have even enabled astronomers to probe distant dust clouds in our own galaxy. This image shows 19 of 20 dust rings detected by XMM-Newton from a gamma-ray burst first detected on October 9, 2022. Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: ESA/XMM-Newton/M. Rigoselli (INAF)", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 314691, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_314691", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy

This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies. The solo galaxy is located about 9.2 billion light-years from Earth and contains a quasar, a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy that pulls in gas and drives powerful jets of matter seen in radio waves.

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Credit: x-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF

", "items": [ { "id": 212643, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855064, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/lonely_galaxy_desktop.png", "filename": "lonely_galaxy_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies. The solo galaxy is located about 9.2 billion light-years from Earth and contains a quasar, a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy that pulls in gas and drives powerful jets of matter seen in radio waves.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: x-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212644, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855065, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/lonely_galaxy_mobile.png", "filename": "lonely_galaxy_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies. The solo galaxy is located about 9.2 billion light-years from Earth and contains a quasar, a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy that pulls in gas and drives powerful jets of matter seen in radio waves.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: x-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 212645, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 855066, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/lonely_galaxy_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "lonely_galaxy_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies. The solo galaxy is located about 9.2 billion light-years from Earth and contains a quasar, a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy that pulls in gas and drives powerful jets of matter seen in radio waves.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: x-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 374092, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_374092", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Record-breaking Black Hole in Galaxy UHZ1

This image contains the most distant black hole ever detected in X-rays, a result that may explain how some of the first supermassive black holes in the universe formed. This discovery was made using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple) and infrared data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue).

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Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/Ákos Bogdán; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & K. Arcand

", "items": [ { "id": 426243, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091793, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/uhz1_comp_desktop.png", "filename": "uhz1_comp_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Record-breaking Black Hole in Galaxy UHZ1 This image contains the most distant black hole ever detected in X-rays, a result that may explain how some of the first supermassive black holes in the universe formed. This discovery was made using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple) and infrared data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue).Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/Ákos Bogdán; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & K. Arcand", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426244, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091794, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/uhz1_comp_mobile.png", "filename": "uhz1_comp_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Record-breaking Black Hole in Galaxy UHZ1 This image contains the most distant black hole ever detected in X-rays, a result that may explain how some of the first supermassive black holes in the universe formed. This discovery was made using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple) and infrared data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue).Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/Ákos Bogdán; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & K. Arcand", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426249, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091799, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/uhz1_comp_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "uhz1_comp_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Record-breaking Black Hole in Galaxy UHZ1 This image contains the most distant black hole ever detected in X-rays, a result that may explain how some of the first supermassive black holes in the universe formed. This discovery was made using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple) and infrared data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue).Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/Ákos Bogdán; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & K. Arcand", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 374093, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_374093", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Black Hole Jets in Centaurus A

The galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) shines bright in this image combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) satellite (blue), and optical light from the European Southern Observatory in Chile (white and gray). In the center, a supermassive black hole feeds off the gas and dust encircling it, while large jets of high-energy particles and other material spew out.

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Credit: Credit: IXPE: NASA/MSFC/IXPE/S. Ehlert et al.; Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO

", "items": [ { "id": 426245, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091795, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/cena_chandra_ixpe_desktop.png", "filename": "cena_chandra_ixpe_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Centaurus A The galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) shines bright in this image combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) satellite (blue), and optical light from the European Southern Observatory in Chile (white and gray). In the center, a supermassive black hole feeds off the gas and dust encircling it, while large jets of high-energy particles and other material spew out.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: IXPE: NASA/MSFC/IXPE/S. Ehlert et al.; Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426246, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091796, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/cena_chandra_ixpe_mobile.png", "filename": "cena_chandra_ixpe_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Centaurus A The galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) shines bright in this image combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) satellite (blue), and optical light from the European Southern Observatory in Chile (white and gray). In the center, a supermassive black hole feeds off the gas and dust encircling it, while large jets of high-energy particles and other material spew out.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: IXPE: NASA/MSFC/IXPE/S. Ehlert et al.; Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426250, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091800, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/cena_chandra_ixpe_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "cena_chandra_ixpe_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Black Hole Jets in Centaurus A The galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) shines bright in this image combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) satellite (blue), and optical light from the European Southern Observatory in Chile (white and gray). In the center, a supermassive black hole feeds off the gas and dust encircling it, while large jets of high-energy particles and other material spew out.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: Credit: IXPE: NASA/MSFC/IXPE/S. Ehlert et al.; Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 374094, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_374094", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Artist’s Concept Comparing the Sizes of Supermassive Black Holes

This image compares the sizes of a few monster black holes that are found at the centers of galaxies. The largest one is TON 618, one of a handful of extremely distant and massive black holes for which astronomers have direct measurements. This behemoth contains more than 60 billion solar masses, and it boasts a shadow so large that a beam of light would take weeks to traverse it. The next smallest is M87 and then Cygnus A.

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Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

", "items": [ { "id": 426247, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091797, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SMBH_Scale_desktop.png", "filename": "SMBH_Scale_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept Comparing the Sizes of Supermassive Black Holes This image compares the sizes of a few monster black holes that are found at the centers of galaxies. The largest one is TON 618, one of a handful of extremely distant and massive black holes for which astronomers have direct measurements. This behemoth contains more than 60 billion solar masses, and it boasts a shadow so large that a beam of light would take weeks to traverse it. The next smallest is M87 and then Cygnus A.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426248, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091798, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SMBH_Scale_mobile.png", "filename": "SMBH_Scale_mobile.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept Comparing the Sizes of Supermassive Black Holes This image compares the sizes of a few monster black holes that are found at the centers of galaxies. The largest one is TON 618, one of a handful of extremely distant and massive black holes for which astronomers have direct measurements. This behemoth contains more than 60 billion solar masses, and it boasts a shadow so large that a beam of light would take weeks to traverse it. The next smallest is M87 and then Cygnus A.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 426251, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091801, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014146/SMBH_Scale_desktop_print.jpg", "filename": "SMBH_Scale_desktop_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Artist’s Concept Comparing the Sizes of Supermassive Black Holes This image compares the sizes of a few monster black holes that are found at the centers of galaxies. The largest one is TON 618, one of a handful of extremely distant and massive black holes for which astronomers have direct measurements. This behemoth contains more than 60 billion solar masses, and it boasts a shadow so large that a beam of light would take weeks to traverse it. The next smallest is M87 and then Cygnus A.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 374064, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14146/#media_group_374064", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "On the Brink Wallpaper

In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.

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Download the square version here.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

", "items": [ { "id": 425977, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091684, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal.png", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 425980, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091693, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal.jpg", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 426255, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091689, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Sq.png", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Sq.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 2160, "height": 2160, "pixels": 4665600 } }, { "id": 426256, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091694, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Sq.jpg", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Sq.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 2160, "height": 2160, "pixels": 4665600 } }, { "id": 426257, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091690, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Vertical.png", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Vertical.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 2160, "height": 3840, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 426258, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091695, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Vertical.jpg", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Vertical.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 2160, "height": 3840, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 425978, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091691, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal_searchweb.png", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal_searchweb.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 425979, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1091692, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014500/a014574/BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal_thm.png", "filename": "BHWP_Wallpaper_Horizontal_thm.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "On the Brink Wallpaper In this wallpaper based on the movie-style poster, the viewer gets the feeling of being on a precipice, teetering just on the edge of a black hole’s event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like Earth’s or even the Sun’s. It's the boundary where the black hole's escape velocity equals the speed of light, the speed limit of the universe. Once matter crosses the event horizon, it will never escape the black hole.Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Download the square version here.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 80, "height": 40, "pixels": 3200 } } ], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "gms", "funding_sources": [ "NASA Astrophysics" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Support", "people": [ { "name": "Scott Wiessinger", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" } ] }, { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Barb Mattson", "employer": "University of Maryland College Park" } ] }, { "role": "Science writer", "people": [ { "name": "Francis Reddy", "employer": "University of Maryland College Park" }, { "name": "Jeanette Kazmierczak", "employer": "University of Maryland College Park" } ] } ], "missions": [], "series": [ "Astrophysics Stills", "Black Hole Week" ], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Universe" ], "keywords": [ "Ast", "Astrophysics", "Black Hole" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 14866, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14866/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Cosmic Desktop & Phone Wallpapers", "description": "We can’t clean up your messy desktop, but we can provide a bit of beauty from the universe to act as a backdrop to it. Here you’ll find a collection of images from across the universe. Download these phone and desktop wallpapers for your screens. ||", "release_date": "2025-07-15T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2026-02-06T13:23:57.259384-05:00", "main_image": { "id": 1156780, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014866/Arp142_Wallpaper_desktop.png", "filename": "Arp142_Wallpaper_desktop.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "The Penguin and the Egg Collectively known as Arp 142, this cosmic penguin is actually a galaxy called NGC 2936 that has been twisted by the gravitational pull of another galaxy, called NGC 2937. Over time, gravity is slowly pulling the pair together and they will eventually merge. Data from NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes have been combined to show these dramatic galaxies in light that spans the visible and infrared parts of the spectrum. For more information: Arp 142: The Penguin and the Egg Download the desktop version here.Download the smartphone version here.Credit: NASA-ESA/STScI/AURA/JPL-CaltechAlt text: Two glowing, colorful galaxies look like a penguin and its egg and are shown here in infrared from the retired Spitzer Space Telescope and visible light from the Hubble Space Telescope.Image description (desktop wallpaper): A penguin-shaped arc of bright dust and gas that includes bright streaks and spots of pink, orange, and purple sits on the left side of a black backdrop speckled by small, bright, green, and blue stars. Just above this is a bright white oval resembling an egg and surrounded by glowing turquoise. Two bright stars marked by X-shaped spikes of light lay across a bright blue swath at the right of the image.", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } } ], "sources": [], "products": [], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }