What is the Ergosphere?

Black Holes rotate. And as they rotate, they create a current in spacetime. This current is so extreme it creates a region called the ergosphere where nothing, including light, can overcome it.  Inside the ergosphere, nothing can stand still.  Everything inside this region is dragged along by the spinning spacetime.  The event horizon fits inside the ergosphere, and they touch at the poles.  So in one sense, black holes are like whirlpools of spacetime.  Once inside the ergosphere, you are caught by the current.  And after you cross the event horizon, you disappear.

Ergosphere Shape

An Oblate Spheroid

The Ergosphere is a sphere that's compressed along the axis of rotation. The equation of the surface is \[ \frac{x^2+y^2}{a^2}+\frac{z^2}{c^2}=1\] for some constants \(a\) and \(c\). (This formula assumes the \(z-\)axis is the axis of rotation.)
A bronze ellipsoid

Describing a Black Hole

3 fundamental properties of a black hole

  • Mass

    The units used when talking about the mass of a black hole are solar masses. One solar mass is equivalent to the mass of our Sun, approximately \( 1.989\times 10^{30} kg \).

  • Angular Momentum

    Since stars rotate, the black holes they create also inherit this rotation. We measure this using angular momentum. This affects the black hole’s behavior and interactions with its surroundings.

  • Electric Charge

    Theoretically, a black hole can have an electric charge. However, any substantial charge would attract opposite charges from the surrounding space, quickly neutralizing the black hole. Therefore, in practice, black holes are considered to be electrically neutral or have negligible charge.

Dreams of Space

Astronomy Sticker in 3 Sizes

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An abstract image depicting outer space in a colorful way