More than ten years have passed since science fiction fans were amazed by the release ofInterstellarChristopher Nolan’s groundbreaking film that not only pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling, but also marked a turning point in bringing science to the big screen, hiring expert space physicists to present what , years later, science would confirm: what exactly a black hole looks like.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is the depiction of what a black hole in space would look like, an image that captured the public imagination and stood out for its impressive realism. To do this, the director enlisted the help of scientists, particularly theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics, who played a crucial role in creating the iconic image of the black hole known as of Gargantua.
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From the start, Christopher Nolan wantedInterstellar or a faithful representation of space phenomena. Kip Thorne, known for his work on the theory of general relativity, was hired not only as scientific advisor, but also as executive producer. His involvement made it possible to present scientific concepts in a rigorous manner, without sacrificing storytelling.
To represent the black hole, Kip Thorne provided equations based on Einstein’s theory, which were used by the visual effects team, led by Double Negative’s Paul Franklin, to generate calculations simulating the black hole’s behavior. light aroundan object of such extreme gravity.
The challenge of taking science as a basis
Representing a phenomenon that has never been directly observed was a major challenge. Black holes don’t emit light, but their immense gravity bends space-time in such a way that light from nearby stars is distorted. Using simulations based on Kip Thorne’s equations, the team created a visually spectacular image: a shiny accretion disk around a black sphere.
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This visual effect was not only cinematically impressive, but also scientifically accurate. In fact, the simulations produced such groundbreaking data that Kip Thorne and the Double Negative team published a scientific paper detailing the results of this work.
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The black hole ofInterstellar became a character in the film. His drawing shows an accretion disk that shines brightly due to the friction of gases falling into it. The simulations revealed previously unknown details about how a black hole appears to a human observer, making Gargantua a cinematic and scientific achievement.
This research was included in Kip Thorne’s book, The Science of Interstellarwhich combines, in equal parts, cinema and fascination for space research.
Article written in collaboration with our colleagues from I love cinema.
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