Q&A: Black Holes

Q:
How do black holes affect our solar system?

A:
Although there are probably millions of black holes in our galaxy, because of the vastness of the galaxy it is extremely unlikely that a black hole will collide with the solar system. However, there is another potential source of danger from a black hole. Some astrophysicists have speculated that a gamma ray burst could occur nearby (within a few hundred light years) with the burst directed toward Earth, and cause widespread damage to life on Earth. From the frequency of gamma ray bursts in the observable universe, it is estimated that such a disaster could occur every few hundred million years.

More information at:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/resources/faq/black_hole/bhole-15.html http://chandra.harvard.edu/resources/faq/black_hole/bhole-24.html