French astrophysicist Jean-Pierre Luminet created the first-ever simulation of a black hole, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Using an IBM 7040 computer and hand-plotting techniques with India ink, he calculated how light from an accretion disk would be distorted by gravity, producing a “distorted eye” image remarkably similar to modern direct imaging
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I was skeptical, but the source checks out.
Luminet, J.-P. (1979). “Image of a spherical black hole with thin accretion disk”. Astronomy & Astrophysics. 75: 228–235. Bibcode:1979A&A…75…228L
Huh, I thought that shape was first discovered by Interstellar.
It was, but it was first discovered by this guy first.
Relativity is fucking strange.
I don’t remember this chapter of the Obra Dinn…
For reference, here’s our first radio telescope computed image
https://public.nrao.edu/gallery/astronomers-capture-first-image-of-a-black-hole/
A variant showing magnetic field lines;
https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso2105c/
And when you’re done thinking about black holes you have this;
https://public.nrao.edu/news/alma-detects-extremely-abundant-alcohol-in-interstellar-comet-3i-atlas/
There’s booze in them thar comets!
It’s wood alcohol. It will make you go blind.
Rocket fuel!
