A black hole is a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.

It is created after the death of a very massive star.

The core of the star collapses in on itself, causing a supernova – a massive explosion of the star's outer layers.

All of the former star's matter is then concentrated into a single tiny point (known as a singularity).

The gravity of a black hole is so strong that nothing – not even light – can escape its pull.

Black holes are generally categorized according to the mass they contain. There are three main types:

  •   Stellar black holes, the most common and contain about 10 times the mass of our Sun.

  •   Intermediate black holes

  •   Supermassive black holes, found at the centre of most galaxies and can be millions or even billions of times more massive than the Sun

SOURCE: Canadian Space Agency