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Photon Sphere

A region around a black hole where gravity is strong enough that photons (light particles) can orbit the black hole. This creates a bright ring-like structure in visualizations and images.

Source: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov

APODs including "Photon Sphere"

The Doubly Warped World of Binary Black Holes

The Doubly Warped World of Binary Black Holes
Video

06/05/2025

Visualization: A Black Hole Accretion Disk

Visualization: A Black Hole Accretion Disk
Video

08/05/2024

Visualization: A Black Hole Accretion Disk

Visualization: A Black Hole Accretion Disk
Video

25/08/2020

Circling a Black Hole at its Photon Sphere

Video preview available on open
Video

02/07/2013

A Star Where Photons Orbit

A Star Where Photons Orbit

04/01/1997

A Star Where Photons Orbit

A Star Where Photons Orbit

26/11/1995