How does the world look like after a Lorentz transformation?

[nick41]

I would like to get a detailed description, how the world looks for a moving observer in Special Relativity compared to the way it looks for an observer at rest. Do you know any reference, where I can find such a description? Can you maybe even tell me, where to find two pictures of the sights of both observers?

 

[ghwellsjr]

I would like to get a detailed description, how the world looks for a moving observer in Special Relativity compared to the way it looks for an observer at rest. Do you know any reference, where I can find such a description? Can you maybe even tell me, where to find two pictures of the sights of both observers?

A Lorentz Transformation does not in any way affect what any observer sees.

 

[nitsuj]

I would like to get a detailed description, how the world looks for a moving observer in Special Relativity compared to the way it looks for an observer at rest. Do you know any reference, where I can find such a description? Can you maybe even tell me, where to find two pictures of the sights of both observers?

Oh Compared to, yes of course.
[/PLAIN]
Plenty of examples.

 

[DimReg]

I would like to get a detailed description, how the world looks for a moving observer in Special Relativity compared to the way it looks for an observer at rest. Do you know any reference, where I can find such a description? Can you maybe even tell me, where to find two pictures of the sights of both observers?

Go for a jog, and look at things around you. You've applied a lorentz transformation to yourself and you can see how it looks different. ;)

At faster speeds, things might look shorter in the direction of travel, because they are lorentz contracted. But note that only relative speeds matter, if you start running with a meter stick in your hand it won't look any shorter.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Go for a jog, and look at things around you. You've applied a lorentz transformation to yourself and you can see how it looks different. ;)

Where is the Lorentz Transformation in this scenario? Remember, a Lorentz Transformation changes the coordinates of events which is information not available to any observer and doesn't in any way affect what an observer sees.

At faster speeds, things might look shorter in the direction of travel, because they are lorentz contracted. But note that only relative speeds matter, if you start running with a meter stick in your hand it won't look any shorter.

You won't necessarily see things looking shorter just because there is a fast relative speed between you and the object. The images of objects get blue shifted as you/they approach each other and change to red shifted as you/they pass each other but the visual shapes of objects is a very complicated subject and has nothing to do with a Lorentz Transformation.

 

[DimReg]

Where is the Lorentz Transformation in this scenario? Remember, a Lorentz Transformation changes the coordinates of events which is information not available to any observer and doesn't in any way affect what an observer sees.

You won't necessarily see things looking shorter just because there is a fast relative speed between you and the object. The images of objects get blue shifted as you/they approach each other and change to red shifted as you/they pass each other but the visual shapes of objects is a very complicated subject and has nothing to do with a Lorentz Transformation.

The lorentz transformation is a boost... You start out not running, then later you are. I thought that was clear. And yes it does affect what an observer sees: before the boost some things will be at rest, and after they will be moving. While the coordinate aspect of lorentz transformations is not measurable, non lorentz invariant quantities (such as energy) do change under lorentz transformations, so you can't claim that lorentz tranformations don't affect what an observer sees.

Ok, I did say that you "might" see things get shorter. Judging by the question of the OP, I don't think he's completely comfortable with special relativity, so I don't see the point in making my answer as complicated as possible. I tried to give a simple version of what goes on, and not bother the OP with issues like red shift and blue shift, so he can focus on what he want to know.

My point about going for a jog wasn't that you'd notice lorentz contraction, but that there is nothing unusual about lorentz transformations, and they don't change the way the world looks in an exotic way.

 

[ghwellsjr]

The lorentz transformation is a boost... You start out not running, then later you are. I thought that was clear. And yes it does affect what an observer sees: before the boost some things will be at rest, and after they will be moving.

Before and after the boost, different things are at rest and different things are moving according to the IRF but relative speeds between objects remain the same in all IRF's. Therefore, what an observer sees is not affected by transforming to a different IRF.

While the coordinate aspect of lorentz transformations is not measurable, non lorentz invariant quantities (such as energy) do change under lorentz transformations, so you can't claim that lorentz tranformations don't affect what an observer sees.

No Lorentz variant quantity is in any way visible to any observer. And any measurement or derived calculation that any observer determines for these Lorentz variant quantities come out the same for him when you transform to a different IRF.

Ok, I did say that you "might" see things get shorter. Judging by the question of the OP, I don't think he's completely comfortable with special relativity, so I don't see the point in making my answer as complicated as possible. I tried to give a simple version of what goes on, and not bother the OP with issues like red shift and blue shift, so he can focus on what he want to know.

Unfortunately, when an OP who is uncomfortable with Special Relativity asks a confusing or disjointed question, it is impossible to determine what he wants to know. But that is not an excuse to give him wrong information. It's wrong to tell him that a Lorentz Transformation changes what he sees, measures or determines.

My point about going for a jog wasn't that you'd notice lorentz contraction, but that there is nothing unusual about lorentz transformations, and they don't change the way the world looks in an exotic way.

They don't change the way the world looks to any observer in any way. That's the whole point of Special Relativity, all IRF's are equally valid, none is preferred.

 

[nitsuj]

Also, SR doesn't account for an eyeball & memory, or it being a continuum.

I don't know SR well enough to envision all comparative situations.

But, Doppler is easy enough to visualize.

And there is even that MIT game A Slower Speed of Light.

(assuming this thread is about the visual relativistic effects as seen in the game)