Link 1: HubbleSite: Black Holes: Gravity's Relentless Pull interactive: Encyclopedia

Can I safely orbit a black hole?

It is possible to be near a black hole without falling into it, provided you move rapidly. This is similar to what happens in the solar system: Earth does not fall into the Sun because we move around it at a speed of some 67 thousand miles per hour. But the orbits near a black hole can have various interesting shapes, whereas those in the solar system are always elliptical (and almost circular)...


Other linked Hubble site pages:

Link 2: HubbleSite: Black Holes: Gravity's Relentless Pull interactive: Encyclopedia [Encyclopedia index]

Link 3: ​HubbleSite: Black Holes: Gravity's Relentless Pull interactive