Gravitational Time Dilation: Observing Planet Life

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on gravitational time dilation and its effects on observing life on a planet with significant gravitational influence. It is established that lifeforms on such a planet would appear to move in slow motion when viewed from Earth due to the time dilation effects described by the Schwarzschild metric. The proper time interval experienced by these lifeforms would correspond to a longer time interval on Earth, indicating that while their movements may seem slower, the actual speed of their motions remains unchanged. Calculations would be necessary to determine their true velocities.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of gravitational time dilation
  • Familiarity with the Schwarzschild metric
  • Basic knowledge of general relativity
  • Concept of proper time intervals
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of gravitational time dilation on astrophysical observations
  • Study the Schwarzschild metric in detail
  • Explore the effects of gravity on biological processes
  • Investigate how time dilation affects communication with distant planets
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, physicists, and anyone interested in the effects of gravity on time and motion, particularly in the context of observing extraterrestrial life.

Ohannesy
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Hello , my question is : If we could observe a planet life so far away from the Earth with so much gravity that it makes time pass more slowly on that planet , what would we see? Like what can we say about motions of lifeforms living on that planet? Would they be moving in slow-motion in the image we receive?
 
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Ohannesy said:
Would they be moving in slow-motion in the image we receive?
We wouldn't really know how fast they actually move (without doing some calculations), but the processes we do know from Earth, would look slower.
 
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Under different gravitation, the lifeforms are expected to be different...but if human beings could live there and move
as they did on earth, then yes. In another word, the proper time interval on that planet corresponds to a longer proper time interval on Earth (or distant coordinate time interval, if the field of the Earth is insignificant). (E.g. in the Schwarzschild metric, it would be reduced by factor of sqrt(1-GM/c^2r), though r is not exactly radial distanc)
 

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