mattuk1, a good description of a Black Hole Approach can be found here
Sensory illusions in aviation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,
along with descriptions of other illusions:
Black-hole approach illusion
A black-hole approach illusion can happen during a final approach at night (no stars or moonlight) over water or unlit terrain to a lighted runway beyond which the horizon is not visible. If the pilot has no peripheral visual cues to be oriented relative to the earth, there may be the illusion of being upright and the runway itself to be tilted and sloping.
A particularly hazardous black-hole illusion involves approaching a runway under conditions with no lights before the runway and with city lights or rising terrain beyond the runway. These conditions may produce the visual illusion of being too high on final approach, resulting in pitching the aircraft nose down to decrease the perceived approach angle.
Another issue to watch out for on dark nights with few or no visible ground lights is the sudden lack of any apparent horizon reference after flying beyond the runway lights during departure. Instrument skills are required in this circumstance.
Be careful, have fun and remember the engine doesn't know that it is dark.
