Thread by @BiIndia

Humans are about to see the first-ever photo of a 'supermassive' black hole. Here what we hope to discover

businessinsider.in/humans-are-abo…

The heart of every major galaxy is said to contain a supermassive #BlackHole - a place where anything, including light, can be devoured to the point of no return.

For years, scientists have struggled to capture one of these deadly masses on camera, since the absence of light renders them nearly impossible to see.

The EHT project, which relies on data from a global network of telescopes, began collecting information about black holes back in 2006.

The image that's set to be released on April 10 is the result of observations that started two years prior.

Thus far, our understanding of these black holes is based on renderings or models produced by artists and scientists.

Though scientists may not be able to see a black hole on its own, they're able to detect the stars and gas that orbit it, which give off radio waves that can be captured by a high-powered telescope.

Two of the most notable theories about black holes hail from physicists #AlbertEinstein and #stephenhawking . Before he passed away in 2018, Hawking posited that "black holes ain't as black as they are painted," because certain particles might be able to escape.

Though black holes aren't close enough to pose a danger to Earth, they remain a window into some of science's greatest mysteries.