Undergrad Two black holes colliding - visual

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The discussion centers on the visual effects of two non-rotating black holes colliding, particularly under the framework of General Relativity (GR). Observers would see the event horizons of the black holes merge, but they would not directly witness the collision due to light being unable to escape from within the horizons. Instead, as the black holes approach, light from surrounding matter would become increasingly redshifted and eventually fade from view as the event horizon expands. The conversation also touches on the misconception that an observer would see objects freeze at the horizon; rather, they would appear to slow down and dim as they approach. Ultimately, the merging of the black holes results in a larger event horizon, obscuring previously visible matter.
  • #31
rootone said:
Although if you did fall in, your career as solipsist is guaranteed to end in the near future.
Yes of course, because as they say, "publish or perish", and that darned E.H. makes publishing impossible. Therefore, there's only one outcome possible.
 
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  • #32
As a layman, I would think the two holes would resist each other. Assuming the are pulling with equal force gravity, I think they would remain in a stale-mate situation until they drifted by each other. If one was stronger, it would simply devour the weaker one.
 
  • #33
Sue Rich said:
As a layman, I would think the two holes would resist each other. Assuming the are pulling with equal force gravity, I think they would remain in a stale-mate situation until they drifted by each other. If one was stronger, it would simply devour the weaker one.
Your 'stalemate' situation is in practice that they end up for a long time in a mutual orbit. just as as the case with normal binary star systems.
Eventually (a long time), some of the angular momentum in the system can be lost for a variety of reasons, so the orbiting gets closer and faster.
There comes a point where the event horizons would be overlapping, but since that can't actually happen they then merge into one bigger black hole.
 
  • #34
Sue Rich said:
I would think the two holes would resist each other.

I'm not sure why you would think this. Black holes have attractive gravity, just like other gravitating objects. They do not repel each other.
 

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