How objects look at high speeds

[gaavslev]

I have some questions about light rays that are emitted from objects moving at high speeds relative to some observer. If an object, say a pole, is moving toward me at a velocity v the light rays from the end closest to me will arrive at my eye before the light rays from the back of the pole. And since the pole is moving toward me there will be some light ray emitted from the front of it at a later time that will arrive at my eye at the same time the light ray from the back of the pole from an earlier time arrives. Does this mean that to me the object would appear to be longer? Or does something in relativity modify things so that the length of the pole will appear as it should--contracted from its proper length?

Thanks.

 

[pervect]

My understanding is that it appears rotated - do a google for "Terrell rotation", this came up in another thread on the board here a while ago. There is some discussion of this effect in the sci.physics.faq

A paper with some actual pictures is at

http://www.anu.edu.au/Physics/Searle/paper2.pdf

the link above it (i.e. at )

http://www.anu.edu.au/Physics/Searle/

also has some internet graphics / internet movies.

 

[gaavslev]

Thank you for the link! This is exactly the stuff I was wondering about! I hadn't even thought about rotation, and they talk about the length expansion effect that I was wondering about too. I was starting to think I had missed something, but I didn't. Thank you.