BH1 and Gaia BH2

April 12, 2023

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by finding the closest black hole to Earth.
BH1 is the closest black hole ever detected till date.
- It is situated just 1,560 light-years away from Earth in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus.
It was discovered by a team of astronomers using the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia satellite, which is designed to precisely measure the positions and movements of stars in the Milky Way
In addition, Gaia also found the second closest black hole to Earth, Gaia BH2, which is 3800 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus.
Black holes are formed when massive stars collapse under the force of their own gravity, creating incredibly dense objects.
- They are so dense that their gravity is strong enough to trap anything that comes too close, including light itself.