Is it possible for a single super-massive black hole

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Pattonias
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Black hole Hole
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of a single super-massive black hole being visible in two different locations in the universe. Participants explore theoretical implications, gravitational effects, and the role of phenomena like gravitational lensing, while considering the nature of space and gravity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that while it is theoretically possible for a super-massive black hole to appear in two locations due to cosmic topologies, no observational evidence currently supports this, suggesting the universe's size is larger than what is visible.
  • Others argue that gravitational lensing allows for the same astronomical objects to be observed in multiple locations, indicating that this phenomenon can create multiple images of the same black hole.
  • A participant questions the effects of very large gravity on the fabric of space, suggesting that if space were curved sufficiently, it might create a pull on separate sections of the universe, though this is not predicted by regular General Relativity.
  • Another participant mentions that higher-dimensional theories might allow gravity to travel between folds in space, but emphasizes the lack of observational evidence for such claims.
  • Some contributions reflect skepticism about the feasibility of knowing whether such phenomena occur, likening the discussion to science fiction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the possibility of a super-massive black hole being visible in multiple locations, with some supporting the idea through gravitational lensing and others questioning the implications of large gravitational effects on space. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the broader implications of these phenomena.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on theoretical models, the lack of observational evidence for certain claims, and the unresolved nature of how gravity interacts with the fabric of space in higher dimensions.

Pattonias
Messages
196
Reaction score
0
Is it possible for the same super-massive black hole to appear/be visible in two different places in the universe? If not, what would the implications be if you could determine that this was possible?

I was wondering if anyone had made any theories regarding a phenomena like this being possible.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Pattonias said:
Is it possible for the same super-massive black hole to appear/be visible in two different places in the universe? If not, what would the implications be if you could determine that this was possible?

I was wondering if anyone had made any theories regarding a phenomena like this being possible.

Well it is possible, but so far no one has observed such a thing. Some cosmic topologies cause multiple images of space-time to appear at different parts of the sky, so you could get multiple images of a galaxy and its black-hole, but it wouldn't be just one galaxy that repeats. Unfortunately for the idea no such images have been seen in the Cosmic Microwave Background, so the characteristic size of the Universe must be bigger than the visible bit... and thus unobservable. We may never know.
 
I was wondering what effects a very large gravity could have on the fabric of space if it was curved. If the gravity could actually create a pull on a separate section of the universe if the folds were close enough and the gravity large enough.
 
Pattonias said:
I was wondering what effects a very large gravity could have on the fabric of space if it was curved. If the gravity could actually create a pull on a separate section of the universe if the folds were close enough and the gravity large enough.

Only if it folds over in hyperspace. Regular General Relativity can make no such prediction but higher dimensional versions which confine matter-fields to a 4-brane that is folded in higher dimensions allow gravity to travel between the folds. Currently there's no observational evidence that this happens, unless "dark matter" is somehow involved - perhaps all galaxies are really close together in hyperspace? But that seems unlikely since "dark matter" gravity seems to follow the distribution of "bright matter" very closely.
 
I guess when you start talking about these kind of things you start to dabble in the science fiction. It would be really neat if you could know one way or another, but their would really be no way to know I guess.
 
Pattonias said:
Is it possible for the same super-massive black hole to appear/be visible in two different places in the universe? If not, what would the implications be if you could determine that this was possible?

I was wondering if anyone had made any theories regarding a phenomena like this being possible.

If you consider gravitational lensing then yes, this is possible, and the same objects have absolutely been observed in two different places in the Universe!
 
I have read about gravitational lensing and understand that it is a manipulation and magnification of the light around a very large gravity.

I guess I mean, can anything actually be in two separate parts of the Universe at the same time due to intense gravity or other phenomena? I'm not really meaning anything as pretty as a wormhole, but something operating on the same principle.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
6K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K