What is the difference between a supermassive and stellar black hole?

Black holes are one of the most fascinating objects in the universe. They are regions of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them. There are two main types of black holes: supermassive and stellar.

The primary difference between a supermassive black hole and a stellar black hole is their size and mass. Supermassive black holes can have masses billions of times greater than that of the Sun, while stellar black holes typically have a mass between 3 and 20 times that of the Sun.

Supermassive black holes are typically found at the center of galaxies, including our own Milky Way. They are thought to have formed from the collapse of enormous clouds of gas and dust or through the merging of smaller black holes. On the other hand, stellar black holes are formed from the collapse of a massive star at the end of its life, which causes the core to collapse under the force of its own gravity.

Another important difference is the impact each type of black hole has on its surroundings. Supermassive black holes can have a profound effect on the motion of stars and gas within their host galaxies, while stellar black holes have a relatively small effect on their surroundings.