Black Hole Planets

Could planets form amongst the chaos surrounding a black hole? Astronomers and Astrophysicists will have the opportunity to observe this phenomenon if the theory of Astronomers Ruth Murray-Clay and Abraham Loeb is correct. 

A young star and what they believe to be a planet-forming disc of gases are being sucked in by our galaxy's black hole. Better known as Sagittarius A* (SgrA*), this black hole is at the center of the Milky Way.

"This unfortunate star got tossed toward the central black hole. Now it's on the ride of its life," says Dr. Murray-Clay. "

The force of the massive black hole is so strong, it's akin to the moon pulling the ocean right off the Earth's surface, rather than just creating tides. The gas surrounding the star will be stripped away, but the star itself will endure.

Curiously though, the gas closest to the star’s gravitational field will remain intact, which may allow the planets to form amongst massive amount of radiation released by the shock waves of exploding stars.

Instinct would dictate the contrary, but the potential of planetary development is still present. What kind of planets could emerge through the bedlam a black hole creates? 

Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.