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This computer simulation shows two supermassive black holes orbiting each other.

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It's helping scientists learn what kind of light a real black hole binary system might produce.

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An outer ring of gas surrounds the whole system,

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and a mini disk surrounds each black hole.

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Streams of gas connect the disks.

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Magnetic and gravitational forces heat up the gas,

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Producing UV and X-ray light.

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The amount of gas flowing in the system

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and our viewing angle

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can alter what we'll see.

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Intense gravity bends space-time.

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The light follows a warped path and is distorted, as with a lens.

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This also creates an "eyebrow" next to one black hole

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caused by light from glowing gas immediately outside the other.

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Scientists haven't yet seen a supermassive black hole merger,

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but simulations like this are preparing them for what they'll find.

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NASA  Astrophysics

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