Can light only travel in straight lines or can it bend?

Answer 1

Several things can "Bend" or change the direction of light. Light 'bends' (more truly, changes direction) when it crosses the boundary of Mediums of two different Densities (Refraction).

Light more truly bends when it passes by a body with extremely high Gravity. The Space near the object is warped (bent) by its Gravity. The light is following a BENT Straight Line if you get my meaning....it THINKS it is going straight but the observer sees it as BENT.

You can actually see an object behind the SUN in this manner. The light from the object BENDS AROUND the SUN and is therefore visible from the Earth.

Answer 2

Even light have some form of "mass" or at least energy.

Everything is affected by gravitational forces. Even light.

Where as we can not see this effect directly, it can be measured and calculated.

It is not like light can bend around corners on its own.

This can however easily be done by redirecting the light with lenses or mirrors or a combination of these.

The same effect applies in space where enormous clouds of thin gas can act like a lens and slightly redirect the light passing through.

In space we also have a different kind of lenses that are forming. These lenses consist of gravitational fields.

On earth, we don't really need to consider the gravitational pull of our planet or solar system as of having any considerable effect of bending the light. The forces here are not by far strong enough to be of importance.

It is however a very interesting phenomenon to observe and calculate with when we direct our eyes and instruments to outer space.

The direct straight line to any object far away in space will always be curved due to gravitational pulls.

The light kind of defines how direct and straight this straight line theoretically can be.

If travelling to a distant solar system, we can never travel in a straight line. Our path will always be affected by gravity fields encountered.

But for us, that will "never" achieve the speed of light, this path will be even more curved.

Answer 3

Light can both travel in a straight line and bend. When light moves from one medium to another (like air to water), it changes speed and can bend, a phenomenon known as refraction. This bending of light is what causes optical illusions and the way lenses work.