A black hole is a region of space where gravity is so strong that even light cannot escape. Because matter has been compressed into a small space, gravity is extremely strong. This can occur when a star dies. People cannot see black holes because no light can escape. They are unnoticed. Space telescopes equipped with specialised tools can aid in the discovery of black holes. Special tools can observe how stars in close proximity to black holes behave differently than other stars. Black holes can be large or small in size. Scientists believe the tiniest black holes are as small as one atom. These black holes are extremely small in size but have the mass of a large mountain. The amount of matter, or "stuff," in an object is defined as its mass. A "stellar" black hole is a different type of black hole. Its mass could be up to 20 times that of the sun. There could be a plethora of stellar mass black holes in Earth's galaxy. The Milky Way is the name given to Earth's galaxy. Scientists believe that the tiniest black holes formed when the universe first began. Stellar black holes form when the core of a massive star collapses in on itself. When this occurs, it results in a supernova. A supernova is a star that explodes, ejecting a portion of the star into space. Scientists believe that supermassive black holes formed at the same time as the galaxy in which they exist.
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