Consequence of light pointing towards a blackhole

[cooper607]

hi guys, i have an elementary question about the black hole..recently i have read in a science magazine that even the lights from other stars can not reach to the black hole ( event horizon) rather bends in other direction due to its gravitational force..now my question is if i point a light source towards a black hole , will it not hit the black hole (event horizon ) and never return to me ? or it will just bend tangent to the horizon and go to some other space ...

previously i thought black holes just grab light and never returns it ...but grabs actually...is it wrong thinking ?
please help me
regards

 

[russ_watters]

You had it right: the light will enter the black hole and never return, if it is pointed right at the black hole. If the light is pointed next to the black hole, it may loop back around and return to you (or go in another direction).

 

[Spourk]

Check out Einstein rings for the gravitational lensing effects on what Black Holes do to light that isn't quite caught in it's maw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_ring

 

[cooper607]

thanks a lot.. now i can ask the author of the paper how he mentioned it ..

 

[pmacias]

I can confirm that the statement you read is correct. Light that is emitted from a source towards a black hole will indeed be bent by the strong gravitational force of the black hole. This is known as gravitational lensing. The light may appear to curve around the black hole, but it will not reach the event horizon. The event horizon is the point of no return for anything, including light. Once the light is bent, it will continue to travel in a curved path away from the black hole.

Your previous understanding of black holes is not entirely wrong. Black holes do "grab" light and other matter, but they do not hold onto it forever. Some of the matter may be pulled into the black hole, while other particles may be ejected back into space in the form of jets. Overall, the intense gravitational force of a black hole affects the movement of light and matter in its vicinity, but it does not completely consume them.

I hope this helps clarify your understanding of black holes and their effects on light. It is always important to continue learning and asking questions in science. Keep up the curiosity and exploration!