The Magic of Light: Trapping Light in Orbit

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    Light Magic Orbit
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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the phenomenon of light being temporarily trapped in orbits around massive objects, specifically black holes and neutron stars. It is established that photons can enter photon spheres, where they experience gravitational effects that allow for temporary trapping. However, these orbits are inherently unstable, meaning that while light can be bent around these massive entities, it cannot remain in a stable orbit indefinitely.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of general relativity and its implications on light behavior.
  • Familiarity with the concepts of black holes and neutron stars.
  • Knowledge of photon spheres and their characteristics.
  • Basic principles of gravitational lensing.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties and implications of photon spheres around black holes.
  • Study the effects of gravitational lensing on light paths.
  • Explore the stability of orbits in general relativity.
  • Investigate the behavior of light near neutron stars and their gravitational fields.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, physicists, and students of astrophysics interested in the behavior of light in extreme gravitational fields.

BobiG
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Can light be bend in such a way that it is essentially trapped in an orbit?
 
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BobiG said:
Can light be bend in such a way that it is essentially trapped in an orbit?

Well, in the photon spheres of massive objects - e.g. black holes and neutron stars - photons (light) can at least be temporarily trapped. But these orbits are not stable, if I remember correctly.
 

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