Object Approaching Black Hole: Time Dilation & Visibility

In summary: The answer is that the two perspectives are both real, depending on your frame of reference.In summary, when an object approaches a black hole, time slows down for the observer, making it appear as if the object never crosses the event horizon. However, for an observer outside the horizon, time still passes normally and the blackness approaches.
  • #1
FOIWATER
Gold Member
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I have red that as an object approaches a black hole, to an observer the object never appears to pass the event horizon because of time dilation.

If so why does the hole appear black, wouldn't the same thing happen to the light, and wouldn't it spread over the surface of the black hole, making it visible?
 
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  • #2
FOIWATER said:
I have red that as an object approaches a black hole, to an observer the object never appears to pass the event horizon because of time dilation.

If so why does the hole appear black, wouldn't the same thing happen to the light, and wouldn't it spread over the surface of the black hole, making it visible?

what you are talking about happens because the light is red-shifted and yes, the light coming in DOES get affected the same way ... it gets red-shifted out of existence for all practical purposes.
 
  • #3
The incoming light does get redshifted, but, not to the extent of the outgoing light.
 
  • #4
FOIWATER said:
I have red that as an object approaches a black hole, to an observer the object never appears to pass the event horizon because of time dilation.

If so why does the hole appear black, wouldn't the same thing happen to the light, and wouldn't it spread over the surface of the black hole, making it visible?

Light emitted from closer and closer to the event horizon does indeed get heavily redshifted. Light that comes from somewhere else and doesn't enter the event horizon is warped around the black hole but does not have a net redshift, as it was first blueshifted when it approached the black hole and then red shifted on the way out. One effect is that if you were close to a black hole you would see the background being seriously warped near it.
 
  • #5
I have red that as an object approaches a black hole, to an observer the object never appears to pass the event horizon because of time dilation.

That is a view for a static [accelerating] observer well outside the horizon in Schwarzschild coordinates; for a free falling observer, time passes normally and the blackness approaches as you would expect. In ther coordinate systems, effects are different.

A crude analogy in everday life might be "Are distant objects really smaller than nearby objects." Or is it an 'illusion'?? Which is 'real'?
 

1. How does time dilation occur near a black hole?

Time dilation occurs near a black hole because of the intense gravitational pull. This pull creates a distortion in spacetime, causing time to move slower for an object approaching the black hole compared to an observer far away from the black hole.

2. What does it mean for an object to be approaching a black hole?

An object approaching a black hole means that it is moving towards the black hole and getting closer to its event horizon, which is the point of no return. As the object gets closer, it will experience stronger gravitational forces and time dilation effects.

3. How does the visibility of an object change as it approaches a black hole?

The visibility of an object approaching a black hole decreases as it gets closer to the event horizon. This is because the intense gravitational pull of the black hole bends light rays, making it harder for the object to be seen by an observer far away.

4. Can an object survive passing through a black hole's event horizon?

No, an object cannot survive passing through a black hole's event horizon. The intense gravitational forces at the event horizon would stretch and spaghettify any object, breaking it apart. Additionally, the extreme conditions near the singularity at the center of the black hole would also be fatal.

5. How does the size of a black hole affect its gravitational pull and time dilation effects?

The size of a black hole does not affect its gravitational pull or time dilation effects. These are determined by the mass of the black hole and the distance from the center. However, a larger black hole would have a larger event horizon, making it harder for an object to escape its gravitational pull.

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