Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors

Retrolensing is a gravitational lensing effect in which light emitted by a background source is deflected by a black hole and redirected toward the observer after undergoing nearly complete loops around the black hole. In this context, we explore the possibility of seeing objects of the solar system...

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Main Authors: Luis C. N. Santos, Franciele M. da Silva, Celio R. Muniz, Valdir B. Bezerra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Universe
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/11/5/152
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author Luis C. N. Santos
Franciele M. da Silva
Celio R. Muniz
Valdir B. Bezerra
author_facet Luis C. N. Santos
Franciele M. da Silva
Celio R. Muniz
Valdir B. Bezerra
author_sort Luis C. N. Santos
collection DOAJ
description Retrolensing is a gravitational lensing effect in which light emitted by a background source is deflected by a black hole and redirected toward the observer after undergoing nearly complete loops around the black hole. In this context, we explore the possibility of seeing objects of the solar system in past eras through telescope observations by using black holes as a gravitational mirror. We consider the motion of the light around Reissner–Nordström space–time and discuss the properties of the trajectories of boomerang photons. It was shown that, depending on the angle of emission and the position of the source, the photons could return to the emission point. Afterward, we explore the possibility of considering the returning photons in retrolensing geometry where the observer is between the source and the lens in which two classes of black holes are explored: The supermassive Sgr A* black hole at the galactic center and a nearby stellar black hole. For the first time in the literature, we propose the study of the returning photons of planets instead of stars in retrolensing geometry.
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spelling doaj-art-74e67f4b42ba402d967319cdbd47f3f42025-08-20T02:33:58ZengMDPI AGUniverse2218-19972025-05-0111515210.3390/universe11050152Black Holes as Gravitational MirrorsLuis C. N. Santos0Franciele M. da Silva1Celio R. Muniz2Valdir B. Bezerra3Department of Physics, CFM—Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, C.P. 476, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, BrazilDepartment of Physics, CFM—Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, C.P. 476, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, BrazilDepartment of Physics, FECLI—Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Av. Dário Rabelo, Iguatu 63500-518, CE, BrazilDepartment of Physics, CCEN—Universidade Federal da Paraíba, C.P. 5008, João Pessoa 58051-970, PB, BrazilRetrolensing is a gravitational lensing effect in which light emitted by a background source is deflected by a black hole and redirected toward the observer after undergoing nearly complete loops around the black hole. In this context, we explore the possibility of seeing objects of the solar system in past eras through telescope observations by using black holes as a gravitational mirror. We consider the motion of the light around Reissner–Nordström space–time and discuss the properties of the trajectories of boomerang photons. It was shown that, depending on the angle of emission and the position of the source, the photons could return to the emission point. Afterward, we explore the possibility of considering the returning photons in retrolensing geometry where the observer is between the source and the lens in which two classes of black holes are explored: The supermassive Sgr A* black hole at the galactic center and a nearby stellar black hole. For the first time in the literature, we propose the study of the returning photons of planets instead of stars in retrolensing geometry.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/11/5/152gravitational retrolensingblack hole physics
spellingShingle Luis C. N. Santos
Franciele M. da Silva
Celio R. Muniz
Valdir B. Bezerra
Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
Universe
gravitational retrolensing
black hole physics
title Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
title_full Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
title_fullStr Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
title_full_unstemmed Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
title_short Black Holes as Gravitational Mirrors
title_sort black holes as gravitational mirrors
topic gravitational retrolensing
black hole physics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/11/5/152
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AT francielemdasilva blackholesasgravitationalmirrors
AT celiormuniz blackholesasgravitationalmirrors
AT valdirbbezerra blackholesasgravitationalmirrors