Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» Allegedly scientists discover light behind a BLACK HOLE. SO? What would be significant is if they found light INSIDE IT. Right?
It would be significant if the light is on the other side of the black hole, from us. (In a straight line.) According to what I understand of black holes, we should not be able to see any light from "behind" it ... as the black hole would absorb the light before it was visible to us.
Unless there is something "bending" the light, in such a way that it travels around the black hole. Like a highway bypass.
A phenomenon called 'gravitational lensing', where light bends around strong gravitational fields, enables us to see 'behind' the black hole, albeit distorted.
That is SPECTACULAR E! I'd like that on a wall. Really! Thank you for your reply and the very nifty picture. WOW. True. Truth is stranger than fiction. Computergraphics can churn up lots of beauteous stuff but you cannot beat nature unadorned! :)
The black hole itself is probably extremely incandescent but we can't see it by definition: its extraordinarily intense gravity won't let its own light out.
Walt O'Reagun 