Massive black hole shred passing Stars

When a massive black hole encounters a passing star, its powerful gravitational forces can tear the star apart in a process called tidal disruption. The intense gravitational pull from the black hole on the star's near side is much stronger than the pull on its far side, causing the star to be stretched and eventually ripped apart. This event can lead to the formation of an accretion disk around the black hole, where the star's material gets heated and emits intense radiation, including X-rays. Astronomers study these events to learn more about the behavior of black holes and the surrounding environment.