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From: barmar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Barry Margolin)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: A new topic to ponder (I PROMISE!)...
Message-ID: <4888@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Aug-85 01:07:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.4888
Posted: Wed Aug  7 01:07:18 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 23:04:35 EDT
References: <255@ncr-tp.UUCP>
Reply-To: barmar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Barry Margolin)
Distribution: net
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 22

In article <255@ncr-tp.UUCP> laman@ncr-tp.UUCP (Mike Laman) writes:
>I propose that when the Enterprise zips by faster than the speed of light,
>the we should NOT be able to see it from behind since the light "particles"
>coming from behind it would not be able to catch up to it, bounce off, and
>come back for use to "see" them.

I think this is only partly correct.  True, the photons coming from
directly behind the ship won't hit it.  However, photons from other
directions will reflect off the ship.

Consider the analogy with a fast-moving car and a bicycle.  The bicycle
is unlikely to rear-end the car, but it can easily run into it from the
side.  In this case, the bicycle is likely to bounce off to the side,
but light tends to disperse in many directions when hitting a textured
surface.

So, the ship might look a little dim, but it should still be quite
visible.
-- 
    Barry Margolin
    ARPA: barmar@MIT-Multics
    UUCP: ..!genrad!mit-eddie!barmar