NextPrevious

The Universe

Black Holes

What happens when a black hole spins?

When a black hole rotates, the shape and structure of the event horizon can change. If a black hole is not rotating, then the event horizon is a perfect sphere centered on its singularity. As a black hole spins, the event horizon flattens into a sort of thick doughnut shape, and a structure called the ergosphere can develop. Here, light beams do not escape the black hole but instead orbit around the singularity.



Close

This is a web preview of the "The Handy Astronomy Answer Book" app. Many features only work on your mobile device. If you like what you see, we hope you will consider buying. Get the App