An interactive visualization demonstrating how light rays bend around a black hole, defining the photon sphere and the resulting shadow observed by distant observers.
Learn MotionBlack Holes: Physics, Structure, and Theory
Direct Imaging and Future Horizons
The Anatomy of a Black Hole Shadow
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Before we look at the actual photos, we must understand what we are seeing. The dark center in these images is called the 'shadow.' It is not the event horizon itself. Because gravity bends light so severely, any photon that gets too close falls in. This creates a 'photon sphere.' The shadow we see is actually about 2.6 times wider than the event horizon. Let's trace some light rays to see how this happens.
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