How would the world appear at near c?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the effects of traveling at near the speed of light (c) while orbiting Earth, focusing on perceptions of time, visual distortions, and signal transmission. It includes theoretical implications of relativistic physics and how these might manifest in practical scenarios such as broadcasting and visual observation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the experience of a radio broadcast emitted from Earth while orbiting at near c, wondering if it would sound different due to relativistic effects.
  • Another participant suggests that time on Earth would appear to run at twice the speed for someone traveling at near c, or conversely, that the observer would seem to move at half speed from the Earth's perspective.
  • A participant raises the idea of length contraction, asking if the Earth would appear contracted along the axis of rotation, potentially resulting in an elliptical shape.
  • One post references external material regarding effects during inertial motion and notes that rotational acceleration could complicate the observations further.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various hypotheses about relativistic effects, but no consensus is reached on specific outcomes or interpretations of these effects.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the nature of signals and visual perception at relativistic speeds remain unaddressed, and the discussion does not resolve the complexities introduced by rotational motion.

feynomite
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If you were on a rocket ship that orbited Earth at near c, what would it be like? At 1000km high, orbiting 40 times per second, you'd have a velocity of .84c.

What would, for instance, a radio broadcast emitted from all points of the Earth simultaneously (with respect to the Earth) sound like? What if you had a video camera that recorded, at 40 frames per second, someone walking down the street or car driving (on earth) 100km/hr. Would all this be going in seemingly fast forward?

If you sent a signal to Earth each one of your seconds, would it be received slower than once per second?

Input appreciated.
 
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Time on Earth would appear to be running at twice speed for you. Alternatively you would be moving at half speed to an observer on Earth.
 
Blows my mind.

How about contraction? Would the Earth appear contracted along the axis of my rotation, and therefore be elliptical in shape (taller than it is wide)?
 
For a discussionm of some effects during inertial motion:

Have a look at http://www.edu-observatory.org/physi...eadlights.html

Rotational acceleration would likely complicate things a bit...
 
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