Inside the black hole image that made history | Sheperd Doeleman

TED2 minutes read

Einstein's theory of gravity explains how matter deforms space-time, creating phenomena like black holes where light cannot escape. Telescopes synchronized with atomic clocks captured the image of a black hole in the galaxy M87, showcasing Einstein's predicted geometry and jets of light illuminating space-time.

Insights

  • Einstein's theory of gravity explains how matter deforms space-time and vice versa, influencing the movement of objects, such as Earth orbiting the Sun due to the Sun's impact on space.
  • Telescopes synchronized globally with atomic clocks captured the first image of a black hole by analyzing data through a supercomputer, showcasing light orbits, hot gas, and jets of light emitted from the black hole, confirming Einstein's predicted geometry.

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Recent questions

  • What is a black hole?

    A region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.

  • How do black holes affect light?

    Black holes trap light due to intense gravity.

  • What is the significance of the event horizon around a black hole?

    The event horizon marks the point of no return for objects falling into a black hole.

  • How are black holes imaged by telescopes?

    Telescopes worldwide synchronize to capture light waves around black holes.

  • What is the role of supercomputers in imaging black holes?

    Supercomputers analyze telescope data to create images of black holes.

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Summary

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Unveiling Black Holes: Einstein's Gravity Theory

  • Einstein's theory of gravity deforms space-time, with matter deforming space-time and space-time influencing matter's movement.
  • Sufficient matter in a small area can create a black hole where even light cannot escape due to gravity.
  • Earth orbits the Sun due to the Sun changing the shape of space, causing the Earth to fall around it.
  • A computer simulation shows the event horizon around a black hole, revealing light orbits and hot gas drawn to the black hole due to friction.
  • The galaxy M87, 55 million light-years away, contains a six-and-a-half-billion-solar-mass black hole at its core.
  • To image a black hole, telescopes worldwide were synchronized with atomic clocks to capture light waves, requiring ideal weather conditions.
  • Data from telescopes worldwide was collected and analyzed using a supercomputer to create an image of the black hole.
  • The image captured the last orbit of photons around the black hole, showcasing Einstein's predicted geometry.
  • Black holes have jets of light emanating from their poles, illuminating space-time, with the black hole in M87 spinning and boosting light towards observers.
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