Figure 21-20: The View Approaching a Black Hole An image from a computer simulation of the appearance of the sky behind a black hole. For typical objects behind a black hole, lines of sight that are closer to the edge of the black hole result in greater light-bending and distortion of the object’s image. In the rare case of a bright object right behind a black hole, a bright “Einstein ring” is formed. For illustration, this simulation places the extensive Milky Way behind the black hole, which leads to an unusually strong Einstein ring.
(Andrew J. S. Hamilton/University of Colorado, Boulder)