Why should a black hole be black?

[BoJangles]

<p><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'">Why should a black hole be black?</span></p><p><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'">At the event horizon there will be a point at which light is curved but not fully captured, some light may concivable do laps around the black hole and get released. So light coming from all directions should be scattered in seemingly random directions, which would make it a white / Grey hole, would it not ?</span></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>

 

[derekmcd]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Why should a black hole be black?At the event horizon there will be a point at which light is curved but not fully captured, some light may concivable do laps around the black hole and get released. So light coming from all directions should be scattered in seemingly random directions, which would make it a white / Grey hole, would it not ? <br /> Posted by Manwh0re</DIV></p><p>You are referring to the accretion disk surrounding an active black hole.&nbsp; Yes, they can be very luminous.&nbsp; In fact, that's one way black holes can be detected.&nbsp; However, beyond the event horizon, there is no radiation being emitted (Hawking doesn't count in this description), therefor it is considered 'black' for simple descriptive terms.&nbsp; It's really just an analogy to the fact that black absorbs all colors and reflects nothing back. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[BoJangles]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>You are referring to the accretion disk surrounding an active black hole.&nbsp; Yes, they can be very luminous.&nbsp; In fact, that's one way black holes can be detected.&nbsp; <br />Posted by derekmcd</DIV><br /><br />Oh i see... </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>