This is a first attempt at creating a semi-realistic representation of a black hole and companion star, still in progress, but gives you a general idea! The main star is a combination object, a quadratic point light set to volumetric and a sphere of mixed materials. The black hole was a 3D surface model I created with a material texture built to give the impression of matter being torn apart by the extreme gravitational forces close to the event horizon, with the accretion disk. As an additional effect I added a narrow beam volumetric spot to give the impression of a superluminal (ie faster than light) stream of photons as the last dying signature of matter at the event horizon!

Anyway it looks quite good so far. Need to build the matter stream from the companion star to the accretion disk now.

Lester

hey, cool! you need to figure out how to distort the background stars around it, dontcha? and will there be a stream of 'stuff' swirling off the star and into the black hole? hey, maybe when it's done, you can send it to astro pic :)

A very cool beginning, Lester! I don't know what black holes are "supposed to" look like, but this one is looking pretty cool. :)

It looks wonderful, seeing I just came back from space myself, LOL, it is nice to see someone out there doing this in Vue.....I like it Sharen:-)

Looks greate. Just think the edges are to hard. Maybe some transparency at the edges?