So, you're looking to find – and watch – some black holes. And there are quite a few of them, so you're in for a treat! But, before you get to all the fancy ones, let's first take a look at some of the simplest ones.

 

After all, looking at the fancy ones first would be like trying to spot a Zordorgian Grandlebuss before you even know basic Grandlebuss anatomy, and that would just be silly.

 

Anyway, your basic, solitary black hole is, well, basic ... er, relatively speaking. It has a lot of mass, a bit of spin, a boundary inside of which everything, including light, can only fall inward, and beyond that, well, um, we actually have no idea.

 

However, because solitary black holes are so simple, they're quite hard to spot. But, if you have a keen eye, you might be able to catch a glimpse of them by looking at their surroundings.

 

For example, black holes bend the light traveling past them, and you can see this effect – called “lensing” – around the edge of the black hole.

 

There you are!

 

Also, because black holes tend to mess with their environments, you can sometimes find one by using other clues, such as a bunch of stuff orbiting what appears to be ... nothing.

 

Anyway, now that you know a bit more, grab your telescopes ... and enjoy!