Relativistic aberration

Relativistic aberration is described by Einstein's special theory of relativity, and in other relativistic models such as Newtonian emission theory. It describes aberration of light due to objects moving at relativistic speeds] and is described by the following formula, which was derived by Einstein in 1905.

:$cos\; heta\_o=frac\{cos\; heta\_s-frac\{v\}\{c\{1-frac\{v\}\{c\}\; cos\; heta\_s\}\; ,$

where in the reference frame of the observer, the source is moving away with velocity $v,$ at an angle $heta\_o,$ relative to the direction from the observer to the source (at the time when the light is emitted)

In these models, rays of light emitted by an object are seen by a bystander with a different state of motion to be tilted more towards the direction of the object's motion. This means that light emitted by a moving object appears to be compressed into a cone about its direction of motion, an effect called relativistic beaming. Also, light received by a moving object (e.g. the view from a very fast spacecraft) also appears compressed into a cone about its direction of motion.

One consequence of this is that a forward observer should normally be expected to intercept a greater proportion of the object's light than a rearward one, this concentration of light in the object's forward direction is referred to as the searchlight effect (or headlight effect).

ee also

*Relativistic beaming
*Aberration redshift
*Doppler effect
*Relativistic Doppler effect
*Ives-Stilwell experiment
*Time dilation