Light Entering Black Hole: Observed or Not?

In summary, black holes are theoretical objects that have been inferred from various high-energy phenomena. They are not directly observable, but their presence can be inferred from the behavior of surrounding objects. The next generation of optical interferometric telescopes should be able to come very close to detecting the blackness of a black hole.
  • #1
spidey
213
0
this may be very silly question but i want to confirm with you guys...Its been said when light goes into black hole it can't escape but do we have any proof or observation for light entering a black hole and disappearing..has anyone observed light entering black hole and disappearing?
 
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  • #2
Until recently, black holes were only a theoretical curiosity with no observational support. Now, the presence of black holes has been inferred in numerous studies from various high-energy phenomena such as quasars, X-ray binary systems and the motion of stars in the inner Galaxy. Nobody has ever directly observed the blackness of a black hole though, but the next generation of optical interferometric telescopes should be able to come close.
 
  • #3
Well, one thing about black holes is that if you detect an extremely massive object and you can't see it, that's because it's a black hole. It's not so much the light going in and not coming back out that matters, but the fact that it isn't generating any itself. Before supernova: bright star. After supernova: nothing visible, but presence of a massive object still detectable.
 
  • #4
russ_watters said:
Well, one thing about black holes is that if you detect an extremely massive object and you can't see it, that's because it's a black hole. It's not so much the light going in and not coming back out that matters, but the fact that it isn't generating any itself. Before supernova: bright star. After supernova: nothing visible, but presence of a massive object still detectable.


Do we have any solid proof or observations that there are heavy massive objects but not visible? how can we know that there is a massive object?
 
  • #5
Observations of X-ray binaries provide evidence for black holes formed from stellar collapse. An X-ray binary, so named because it emits X-ray radiation, consists of a dark compact object orbited by a normal star.

Pairs of stars often orbit each other in binary systems. If massive enough, one star of the pair may collapse, while the other member of the pair remains a normal star. A normal star orbiting closely around a black hole can transfer matter to the black hole. The temperature of the infalling matter increases as it approaches the black hole, until it glows strongly with X-rays that can often be detected easily by telescopes orbiting the Earth.

So, X-ray binaries supply prime candidates for black holes, but dark compact objects other than black holes might also emit X-rays. However, a compact object more massive than about two solar masses has too much mass to be either a white dwarf or neutron star, and consequently must be a black hole. Observations of the normal star's orbital velocity give estimates for the masses of both objects in an X-ray binary. Compact objects in several observed X-ray binaries have masses that fall in range required for black holes.

Comparatively new results published in 2003 seem to indicate that in certain systems, matter falls directly into a compact object without hitting a material surface. Since black holes do not have a material surface, this gives strong indirect evidence that the matter is falling into a black hole.

Observations of the orbital motion of stars and other objects about the central cores of galaxies suggest strongly that supermassive objects reside in galactic cores. The small sizes of galactic cores suggest strongly that the supermassive objects must be black holes. Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, has a three million solar mass black hole in its core.
 
  • #6
Thank you all for explaining..
 

1. Is it possible to observe light entering a black hole?

No, it is not possible to observe light entering a black hole. This is because the gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that it does not allow anything, including light, to escape its event horizon. Therefore, any light entering the black hole would not be able to reach our telescopes for observation.

2. Can we see the effects of light entering a black hole?

Yes, we can see the effects of light entering a black hole. As light nears the event horizon, it becomes increasingly redshifted, meaning its wavelength becomes longer and its frequency decreases. This can be observed by telescopes as a shift towards the red end of the spectrum. In addition, the intense gravity of the black hole can also cause the light to bend and distort, which can also be observed.

3. How do we know that light cannot escape a black hole?

We know that light cannot escape a black hole based on the theory of general relativity proposed by Albert Einstein. This theory explains how gravity affects the curvature of spacetime. According to this theory, the gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that it warps space and time, making it impossible for anything to escape its event horizon, including light.

4. Is it possible for light to orbit a black hole?

Yes, it is possible for light to orbit a black hole. This phenomenon is known as a photon sphere. In this region, the gravitational pull of the black hole is so strong that it can bend light in a circular path around the black hole. However, this is not the same as light entering the black hole as the light is still outside the event horizon and can potentially escape.

5. Can we observe light from objects behind a black hole?

No, we cannot observe light from objects behind a black hole. This is because the intense gravity of the black hole would bend the light coming from those objects, making them appear distorted and blurred. As a result, it would be impossible to obtain clear images or observations of objects behind a black hole.

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