 
This computer simulation shows two supermassive black holes orbiting each other.
It's helping scientists learn what kind of light a real black hole binary system might produce.
 
An outer ring of gas surrounds the whole system,
and a mini disk surrounds each black hole.
Streams of gas connect the disks.
 
Magnetic and gravitational forces heat up the gas,
Producing UV and X-ray light.
 
The amount of gas flowing in the system
and our viewing angle
 
can alter what we'll see.
 
Intense gravity bends space-time.
The light follows a warped path and is distorted, as with a lens.
 
This also creates an "eyebrow" next to one black hole
caused by light from glowing gas immediately outside the other.
 
Scientists haven't yet seen a supermassive black hole merger,
but simulations like this are preparing them for what they'll find.
