Light reflection without a surface

[poisant]

Hello everyone,
this is my first post so bare with me...
I was searching the internet for light reflection and all other properties of light.Since we all know light requires a surface to reflect so that we see the objects.
Can we reflect the light in space without requiring a surface?

 

[phinds]

Reflection MEANS bouncing off of a surface, so no, you can't reflect without a surface.

Do you mean, perhaps, could we in some way turn light around without it touching anything? If so, I don't think so.

 

[mfb]

Light can be scattered in gases (or other materials), but that is not a real reflection.

If you send light towards a black hole in the right direction, it can turn around the black hole and come back to you, which is a bit like a reflection.

 

[bigQ]

We can BEND light (for ex.bending of light due to stars or black holes) but can not REFLECT it without a surface.

 

[poisant]

Well till now I got the same answer.I agree that it's impossible to turn the light around.
But come on guys!
It's not about turing light without any surface,It's about "can I project the display into space not into the walls?"
So this is my actual query.
When I project an image why I always need a surface?

 

[Sdtootle]

Light will continue in the same direction until something interferes with its path. Hence the sad impossibility of a light saber

 

[mfb]

You need something which reflects or bends light, right.
With sufficient intensity, you might be able to use air, but you cannot use space itself (=vacuum).

 

[phinds]

...
It's not about turing light without any surface,It's about "can I project the display into space not into the walls?

Your apparent belief that the statement above is somehow NOT about reflection just shows a lack of understanding of physics.

 

[poisant]

@phinds i used your words.anyways i agree i suffer lack of knowledge in physics.
Do anyone know about tupac shakur' holographic peformance.how they did it?
I mean how they managed to project it?
There are many other videos as well

 

[mfb]

According to this article, it was a simple 2D projection on a sheet of mylar.

 

[HallsofIvy]

@phinds i used your words.anyways i agree i suffer lack of knowledge in physics.
Do anyone know about tupac shakur' holographic peformance.how they did it?
I mean how they managed to project it?
There are many other videos as well

According to this article, it was a simple 2D projection on a sheet of mylar.

In other words, don't look to videos or movies for breakthroughs in science! I am reminded of when, after a James Bond movie, in which Bond to put a little device to his lips in order to swim under water, a Royal Navy officer contacted the studio asking how long a person could stay underwater with that device.

The response: about as long as he can hold his breath!