- #1
arindamsinha
- 181
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Consider observer A at rest, seeing observer B traveling in a rocket at high speed towards a star C. Star C is at rest w.r.t. A.
A in his frame sees B's rocket to be length contracted. B considers his distance to C to be shorter than (contracted) compared to what A sees.
I seem to be finding the term 'length contraction' being used for describing both phenomena. I feel these are two separate phenomena (though perhaps 2 sides of the same coin) as they are observed in different observers' frames.
Are there separate terms to describe these two contractions (length and distance), or are they considered the same phenomenon?
A in his frame sees B's rocket to be length contracted. B considers his distance to C to be shorter than (contracted) compared to what A sees.
I seem to be finding the term 'length contraction' being used for describing both phenomena. I feel these are two separate phenomena (though perhaps 2 sides of the same coin) as they are observed in different observers' frames.
Are there separate terms to describe these two contractions (length and distance), or are they considered the same phenomenon?