Why can't we see anything fall into the black hole?

In summary, the conversation discusses the idea that it is impossible for humans to observe anything falling into a black hole due to the infinite amount of time it would take for light to escape. The curvature of spacetime near a black hole explains why this is the case. The speaker also notes their lack of knowledge on the subject and expresses a desire to learn more about general relativity.
  • #1
Sarcastic14
5
0
Flicking through quite a few topics here, I have seen that everyone says we can't get to see anything fall into the black hole as it would take ∞ time for us.

Now, I'm a bit bugged here. Can someone explain me why it is like that.
Also, haven't we seen stars fall into black holes through telescopes and similar?



P.S. I know I probably don't know the basics here, but I want to learn, so please tell me why is it like this :)
 
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  • #2
I'll try with a simple explanation: in flat space (far away from the black hole) we have light cones with an angle of 45° from the horizontal space axis. Now as you get closer and closer to the black hole, the curvature of spacetime makes the light cones bend inwards, which basically means that at some point the angle will be 90°. At this point, you won't see light escaping anymore. for angles between 45° and 90°, one can see from the light cones that light will take longer to get away from the black hole. This time asymptotically goes to infinity.
This explanation is far from complete and mathematically rigorous. If you want to learn more about it, you should start studying some general relativity!
 

1. Why can't we see anything fall into the black hole?

We can't see anything fall into a black hole because the strong gravitational pull of the black hole prevents light from escaping. Therefore, light cannot reach our eyes and we are unable to see any objects falling into the black hole.

2. How does the gravitational pull of a black hole prevent light from escaping?

The gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that it warps the fabric of space-time. This causes light to follow a curved path, making it impossible for light to escape the black hole's event horizon, which is the point of no return.

3. Can we see anything near the event horizon of a black hole?

No, we cannot see anything near the event horizon of a black hole. The event horizon marks the boundary where the gravitational pull becomes so strong that not even light can escape. As a result, we are unable to see anything inside or near the event horizon.

4. Is there any way to see objects falling into a black hole?

Currently, there is no way to directly observe objects falling into a black hole. However, scientists are able to indirectly detect the presence of a black hole through its effects on surrounding matter, such as the emission of X-rays from hot gas being pulled into the black hole.

5. Can we see anything inside a black hole?

According to our current understanding of physics, it is not possible to see anything inside a black hole. The strong gravitational pull and warping of space-time prevent light from escaping, making it impossible for us to see anything inside the black hole's event horizon.

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