Why Does an Observer Not See Entering a Black Hole?

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SUMMARY

An observer watching an object approach the event horizon of a black hole will never see it cross due to the relativistic effects of time dilation. Each observer experiences time differently based on their position in spacetime, leading to incompatible perceptions of time. The key to understanding this phenomenon lies in accepting that time is not absolute but varies significantly in different gravitational fields. This understanding helps reconcile the differing experiences of an external observer and someone falling into the black hole.

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  • General Relativity principles
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  • Concept of event horizons
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Hello, I was wondering why an observer looking at an object entering the event horizon of a black hole would never really see it go through? Versus a person actually experiencing the ride.
 
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The main difficulty comes from the fact that we usually have a hard time getting rid of the idea of an absolute time.

The main point is that those two observers are moving in regions of spacetime that have, each "its own time". The two observations are hard to reconcile only while you try to have them "add up" in a way that makes the two time-frames "compatible" in an absolute sense (clearly, I'm not trying to be precise here, but only to help your intuition).

On the other hand, if you allow your model for "compatibility" to allow for really distorted times in some regions of space, you will find it easier to understand.
 
ahhh, thank you
 

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