Imaging topological solitons: The microstructure behind the shadow

We study photon geodesics in topological solitons that have the same asymptotic properties as Schwarzschild black holes. These are coherent states string theory corresponding to pure deformations of spacetime through dynamics compact extra dimensions. compare these solutions with holes by computing null geodesics, deriving Lyapunov exponents, and imaging their geometries seen a distant observer. show remarkably similar apparent size scattering properties, while being smooth horizonless. Incoming photons experience very high redshift, inducing phenomenological horizon-like behaviors from point view scattering. Thus, they provide compelling case for real-world gravitational alternatives theory.