[isaacg]

Your reaction should be "astronomy fun fact, that will have no direct effects on anyone's life." This black hole is so dim and distant that it required a super powerful telescope to even notice it exists. It will have no effect on life on earth, except by adding to scientific understanding of the cosmos.

Moreover, black holes aren't death machines or anything. This black hole puts out much less light and energy than an equivalent-mass star. It's quite safe.

[delta_p_delta_x]

A lot of people seem to have the impression that black holes are like vacuum cleaners, sucking up anything that comes near.

If the Sun were replaced with a black hole of equal mass, apart from the heat and light going out, we wouldn't notice anything. All the planets would still orbit more-or-less the same.

[klyrs]

The scary thing would be a rogue, massive black hole hurtling through our solar system at a fraction of c. Such an event could destabilize orbits enough to make the remaining time on Earth quite terrifying. But, good news: if such an event should ever occur, we would be utterly powerless to change a damned thing, so we can rest easy knowing that panic is a waste of energy better spent on hedonistic pursuit.

[Idiot_in_Vain]

>> It's quite safe.

Famous last words...

[billpg]

Sorry. I can't hear you over all the panic screaming.