Black Holes: Observing & Understanding | Astrophysics

[Clay Bartlett]

I’m very new and uneducated but extremely interested in astrophysics. That said, I’m also tainted by popular science fiction with my theories. My question...is it possible that since black holes carry so much mass and with said mass slow space time down to a degree that we are moving too fast to observe it? Kind of like being in a fast vehicle on Earth passing by an object standing still, the faster the vehicle moves the harder it is to see a still object as you pass by it.

 

[PeroK]

I’m very new and uneducated but extremely interested in astrophysics. That said, I’m also tainted by popular science fiction with my theories. My question...is it possible that since black holes carry so much mass and with said mass slow space time down to a degree that we are moving too fast to observe it? Kind of like being in a fast vehicle on Earth passing by an object standing still, the faster the vehicle moves the harder it is to see a still object as you pass by it.

These forums are to learn about and discuss established physics. We can't discuss personal theories.

Note that the spacetime surrounding a black hole is well understood from General Relativity. So, there is no need for personal speculation in any case.

 

[jedishrfu]

Its rather difficult to start developing personal theories in physics without the requisite background. Popular science while inspiring people to think in different ways, does not lay down the framework to understand what they are showcasing.

When Einstein did his now famous Gedanken ("thought") experiments, he did so while actually having or acquiring a strong background in the math and physics in order to frame his question well. For sure, he got side tracked by wrong assumptions and understanding but he found his way using his math and physics.

My suggestion here is to go back and learn more about Black Holes, General Relativity and how physics frames our understanding to really learn what we know and then you can speculate from there. Its a lot like wanting to reach the top of a mountain by walking straight ahead, experienced guides will tell that just won't work that instead you must travel the well worn routes that lead to the top and that you must be prepared for any eventuality during your journey and back.

Some good resources to help you make this journey would be:
- Khan Academy videos on Physics
- Openstax books on Physics and Astronomy
- Susskind's Theoretical Minimum book series (which provides the basics of physics without too much math)

Keep your question in mind as you read and see if you can find answers to it that make sense and reshape your understanding gleaned from popsci books and articles. I myself struggled with trying to shortcut my physics via popsci books and always found that there is a cavernous gap between what popsci tells you and what the physics+ math actually says about the phenomena.

 

[Clay Bartlett]

Its rather difficult to start developing personal theories in physics without the requisite background. Popular science while inspiring people to think in different ways, does not lay down the framework to understand what they are showcasing.

When Einstein did his now famous Gedanken ("thought") experiments, he did so while actually having or acquiring a strong background in the math and physics in order to frame his question well. For sure, he got side tracked by wrong assumptions and understanding but he found his way using his math and physics.

My suggestion here is to go back and learn more about Black Holes, General Relativity and how physics frames our understanding to really learn what we know and then you can speculate from there. Its a lot like wanting to reach the top of a mountain by walking straight ahead, experienced guides will tell that just won't work that instead you must travel the well worn routes that lead to the top and that you must be prepared for any eventuality during your journey and back.

Some good resources to help you make this journey would be:
- Khan Academy videos on Physics
- Openstax books on Physics and Astronomy
- Susskind's Theoretical Minimum book series (which provides the basics of physics without too much math)

Keep your question in mind as you read and see if you can find answers to it that make sense and reshape your understanding gleaned from popsci books and articles. I myself struggled with trying to shortcut my physics via popsci books and always found that there is a cavernous gap between what popsci tells you and what the physics+ math actually says about the phenomena.

I will dive into them. Thank you for the recommendations.