How to find a Black Hole

A black hole's gravity is so intense that nothing, not even light can escape it - that makes them pretty much invisible to astronomers. That doesn't mean astronomers can't find them, though, as black holes have a powerful effect on their environment.

One way to spot a black hole is the gravitation effect it has on nearby objects; stars have been found orbiting a spot in space so quickly, it could only be a black hole. When matter is just about to be consumed by the black hole, there is also a powerful burst of radiation that can be seen from Earth-based observers.