Excellent. Shapiro delay is the answer I was looking for.
It only says that light slows down rather than speed up.
Thanks.
Further, a new physics for "photon perspective" is long overdue if you ask me. I wish someone would invent it.
We'll never build light-speed space ships without it ;)
When you say vary slightly, do you mean up to and never past the limit of c?
Or do you mean it can appear to pass that limit? i.e. appear to travel faster then light speed?
I've now read more about special relativity.
The point is that fixed light speed in an axiom (meaning assumed and not proven or witnessed). Wikipedia also says there are experiments proving light speed in fixed.
The question is do you know of an experiment (can you supply a link) that checks...
That's the religious reply.
ZapperZ suggested that my whole viewpoint is wrong and wondered if I want to violate special relativity.
I'm just wondering about this topic.
If that turns out to be a breakthrough in physics - it's a bonus :))
Jerryomyjon,
This is understood.
What you said does not contradict what I said but rather aligns with it.
1. The particle needs not change speed from its own perspective. It can be thought of as a viewpoint thing.
2. If it "adds energy" then it must add mass, because mass is condensed energy...
Big masses like planets and stars have gravitational fields.
Gravitational fields curve space around them.
So in theory a particle having mass moving at fixed speed, from its own perspective, will accelerate when moving closer to such a planet. It'll be moving at fixed speed in a curved space...