Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Medienwissenschaft

This presentation examines the pioneering work of the Event Horizon Telescope(EHT) project, which achieved the first direct image of the supermassive black hole M87*. By employing Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), the EHT combined observations from multiple radio telescopes across the globe to attain exceptional angular resolution. The imaging process, which involved the use of advanced techniques such as Regularized Maximum Likelihood (RML) and CLEAN algorithms, was carried out in two phases to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results.

The image of M87*, featuring a luminous ring with azimuthal asymmetry, represents a paradigm shift in astrophotography, moving from the visual representation of the object to a computational simulation. This synthetic image illustrates not merely the visible but a theoretical model of a black hole, highlighting the convergence of the virtual and the actual in modern scientific inquiry. These images fundamentally
redefine the concept of photography itself.

The discussion will cover the technical challenges and methodological innovations of the EHT project, as well as the broader epistemological implications. It will explore how computational simulations are redefining the boundaries of knowledge, offering new ways to visualize and understand phenomena that were previously beyond reach. This work demonstrates the transformative impact of high-resolution imaging on the perception of the universe, bridging the gap between theoretical models and empirical observation. Furthermore, it emphasizes how these synthetic images are reshaping the very notion of what constitutes a photograph in the contemporary era.