The notion of optical geometry, introduced more than 20 years ago as a formal tool in quantum field theory on a static background, has recently found several applications to the study of physical processes around compact objects. In this paper we define optical geometry for spherically symmetric gravitational collapse, with the purpose of extending the current formalism to physically interesting spacetimes which are not conformally static. The treatment is fully general but, as an example, we also discuss the special case of the Oppenheimer-Snyder model. The analysis of the late-time behavior shows a close correspondence between the structure of optical spacetime for gravitational collapse and that of flat spacetime with an accelerating boundary. Thus, optical geometry provides a natural physical interpretation for derivations of the Hawking effect based on the “moving mirror analogy.” Finally, we briefly discuss the issue of back reaction in black hole evaporation and the information paradox from the perspective of optical geometry.
