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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Why are black holes special?
« on: 31/01/2016 06:46:06 »In my mind they are just like a neutron star with a tad bit more mass making them 'suck' in light as well as matter.
As I understand it, the path of a photon (Light) is not affected by mass or gravity. Light travels in a straight line through space.
Mass bends space and curves it. Because light travels in a straight line through space, the curved space makes the light look like its bending. (IE: Gravitational lens).
Light will curve around a neutron star because a neutron star's gravity is so extreme that it bends space.
The gravity of a black hole is so much more extreme that space-time is bent to a point where there's no exit for light. Space kind of folds in on itself.