Black holes are not cosmic vacuum cleaners, as some people claim. Nor are they space drains where everything simply disappears. So, what are they? What happens to things that get too close to them? The answers cannot be squeezed into the few seconds of a short social media video.
That is why UNAM Morelia is addressing these and other questions, raised by the public during previous "Astronomy Fridays" talks organized by the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics (IRyA). In each session of the new series during the second semester of 2026, an IRyA researcher will answer questions about black holes, galaxies, constellations, and telescopes. The talks will be in Spanish.
On August 28, Omaira González Martín will present a talk titled "Black holes: The Universe's engines of destruction. What doesn't fit in a TikTok," discussing how these massive cosmic bodies alter their surroundings, sometimes catastrophically.
This semester, the talks will take place on the last Friday of each month from August through November at 6:00 PM, in the auditorium of the Academic-Cultural Unit (main auditorium) at UNAM Campus Morelia, located on Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro across from Tenencia Morelos. Admission is free for everyone, and no prior registration is required.
Weather permitting, there will be stargazing using telescopes after the talk. There will also be surprises for the audience at every session.
On September 25, Rosa Amelia González will share insights on galaxies in the talk "The surprising regularity of galaxies: Simplicity from complexity"; on October 30, William Henney will talk about "Star patterns: Constellations across time and cultures"; and on November 27, Gilberto Gómez will present the "History of telescopes: A look at Astronomy's past."
Live talk on Youtube: Click/Tap or copy-and-paste this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/IFPMJTYQSC8?si=WThKpXyEcDki9rNh
About IRyA, UNAM
The Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica (IRyA), or Institute for Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics is an academic unit at UNAM, Campus Morelia, Mexico. The Institute’s personnel perform high-level and high-impact research in the areas of interstellar medium, star formation, evolved stars, high energy astrophysics, Galactic dynamics and structure, extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. They also contribute to educate high-level human resources through a postgraduate program, and maintain a close relationship with society through diverse outreach and science communication programs.
Media contact:
René A. Ortega Minakata
Outreach and Science Communication
IRyA UNAM Campus Morelia
Text: René A. Ortega Minakata, IRyA UNAM