In the film “Interstellar”, a black hole called “Gargantua” is featured. It is a supermassive black hole that orbits around a dying star in the Mann solar system. Gargantua is described as being particularly large and massive, capable of swallowing entire stars and planets. The black hole Gargantua was created using a combination of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) visual effects and physical models. The visual effects were used to create the appearance of the black hole and show how it interacts with the surrounding environment, while the physical models were used to reproduce the movement of spaceships and other objects near the black hole.
To create the black hole’s appearance, the artists used a technique called “ray tracing” which simulates light traveling through space and its interaction with objects. To create the mathematical model of the black hole, scientists used Einstein’s equations of general relativity, which describe how mass and energy affect spacetime. Using these equations, they were able to calculate the curvature of spacetime around the black hole and how it distorts light traveling through it. Once the mathematical model was created, the artists used ray tracing to calculate how light would be distorted by the black hole and how it would appear to an observer at different distances from the black hole. Using this information, they then created a realistic image of the black hole which was then inserted into the film. The end result is an accurate representation of how a black hole might appear in reality, with all the details of light distortion and spacetime curvature around it.
The physical models were used to reproduce the movement of spaceships and other objects near the black hole. For example, scale models of the spaceships were built and placed in a zero gravity effects chamber to simulate movement subjected to the gravitational fields of the black hole. This allowed for a realistic representation of the movement of the spaceships near the black hole Gargantua.
The famous theoretical physicist Kip Thorne was the scientific consultant for the film Interstellar. Thorne is known for his contributions to Einstein’s theory of general relativity and the physics of black holes. He also wrote the book “The Science of Interstellar,” in which he explains how he contributed to the science behind the film and how he helped director Christopher Nolan make the film as scientifically accurate as possible.
In addition to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, Interstellar also references quantum mechanics. In the film, quantum mechanics is mentioned when the protagonist, Cooper, is introduced to Planck’s theory of gravitational particles. This theory, which combines Einstein’s theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics, was developed to explain how gravity can be transmitted through spacetime at the quantum level. Additionally, quantum mechanics is also mentioned in relation to string theory, which is a theory that seeks to unify all laws of physics into a single coherent framework. String theory makes extensive use of quantum mechanics and suggests that all subatomic particles, such as electrons, can be viewed as vibrating “strings” of energy.
All images and all text in this blog were created by artificial intelligences