Music Narrator: This is a kinesthetic model to help participants understand the effect that a black hole has on objects in its neighborhood of space. All participants should be assigned one of four roles: black hole, orbiting star, nearby star, or distant star. You should scale the number of people in each role appropriately to the size of your group. A four or five foot diameter circle should be marked-out on the floor. Using a rope or cord is an excellent temporary way to do this. Participants assigned to the role of black hole should stand in the center of the circle. The circle represents the black hole's event horizon, the point of no return. Anything that comes within the circle cannot escape the black hole. Participants assigned the role of orbiting star should start orbiting just outside of the roped circle. These objects are fully under the influence of the black hole's gravity but still remain separate objects. Those assigned the role of nearby star will be orbiting a bit farther away from the circle. They are still influenced by the gravity of the black hole, but may also have other influences on their motion. They may at times come closer to the black hole while at other times moving much farther away. The last of the participants are assigned the role of distant stars. They are even farther from the black hole and are too far away to be affected by its presence. For the most part, these objects continue in their roles with little deviation. A nearby star might very occasionally come close enough to bump an orbiting star into the black hole, but it's a rare occurence. Contrary to popular mythology, the black hole does not immediately suck up everything in its neighborhood, so in our activity want everyone to end up in the black hole. Just as it plays out in the universe, not much changes, even if you've got a black hole in your distant neighborhood. Music Music Music