Seeing the Unseen: Can You View Objects at Light Speed?

In summary, the conversation is about a layman's question regarding what would happen if someone traveled at or faster than the speed of light and looked backwards. The consensus is that it is impossible to travel at the speed of light and therefore there is not much to discuss. However, it is mentioned that if someone were to approach the speed of light, their environment would appear distorted due to the principles of special relativity. The question is also raised about how a photon, which travels at the speed of light, perceives its environment.
  • #1
Paradox?
5
0
ok first, as this is my first post i have to say I am a little intimidated by the scientific detail of
most posts on this site as I am a laymen, no academic background, just very interested in science :) also as I've only just discovered this site I am very hard pressed to scroll all topics and answers so there is a possibility this has been asked/discussed before so please delete
if the case.

anyway my question is this:

if i am traveling at or over the speed of light (i know, theorticaly impossible, can of worms anyone?) and i look backwards, will i be able to see anything?

i figure no, because the light from all objects would not be able to catch up with me so i could not see anything.
 
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  • #2
You can't travel faster than light so there isn't much to say about it.

I mean, you would be like going backwards in time with some kind of negative of super infinite energy and the universe would just explode or something heh.

A warning however, ideas that are speculative are not supposed to be discusses on these forums! (this keeps things on topic and relevant)
 
  • #3
ok my bad i guess it was a kind of speculative question and appreciate it has no place here (though in my defence i have seen worse in my recent browsing)
 
  • #4
Firstly welcome to the forums!
Paradox? said:
if i am traveling at or over the speed of light
The problem with thought experiments like this is you are basically saying "if the laws of physics didn't apply what would the laws of physics say about that?"
Paradox? said:
ok my bad i guess it was a kind of speculative question and appreciate it has no place here (though in my defence i have seen worse in my recent browsing)
If you see a post that you think violates the PF Rules please report them :smile: also if you haven't already it would be best to familiarise yourself with them too.
 
  • #5
I think it is a good question, with a little modification. If, say, you have mass and you approach the speed of light (but never quite get there), it would be appropriate to ask what would your environment look like? The answer to that lies in the topic of special relativity, which you can look up on wikipedia and youtube. You might also ask how does a photon, which is massless and does travel at the speed of light, perceive its environment? I do not know if there is a meaningful answer to that, or where to find it if there is one.
 
  • #6
Mr_Physicist said:
I think it is a good question, with a little modification. If, say, you have mass and you approach the speed of light (but never quite get there), it would be appropriate to ask what would your environment look like? The answer to that lies in the topic of special relativity, which you can look up on wikipedia and youtube.
If everything in your environment i.e. everything on your spaceship is at rest relative to you it looks normal. Looking outside your ship the universe seems contracted along your axis, looking ahead of you everything looks slightly blue and everything behind you looks slightly red.
Mr_Physicist said:
You might also ask how does a photon, which is massless and does travel at the speed of light, perceive its environment? I do not know if there is a meaningful answer to that, or where to find it if there is one.
See: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=511170
 

Related to Seeing the Unseen: Can You View Objects at Light Speed?

1. What is light speed and how does it relate to seeing objects?

Light speed is the speed at which light travels in a vacuum, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. This speed is incredibly fast and is often used as a benchmark for comparison in the study of physics. Seeing objects at light speed means being able to view objects as they move at this incredibly high speed.

2. Is it possible to see objects at light speed?

No, it is not possible to see objects at light speed. This is because our eyes are limited by the speed at which they can process visual information. Additionally, at light speed, objects would appear to be completely still, as time would essentially stop for them. Therefore, it is physically impossible for us to see objects at light speed.

3. Can technology allow us to see objects at light speed?

No, even with advanced technology, it is not possible to see objects at light speed. While technology can help us capture images of objects moving at high speeds, such as in particle accelerators, it cannot truly show us what an object would look like at light speed. This is because the fundamental limitations of our eyes and brain still apply.

4. What would happen if we could see objects at light speed?

If it were possible for us to see objects at light speed, it would fundamentally change our understanding of the world around us. We would see everything around us as if it were frozen in time, and the laws of physics as we know them would no longer apply. It is difficult to imagine what this would look like, as our brains are not capable of comprehending such an experience.

5. Are there any implications of not being able to see objects at light speed?

Yes, there are several implications of not being able to see objects at light speed. One of the most significant is that it limits our ability to study and understand the behavior of objects moving at extremely high speeds. It also means that we will never be able to truly experience what it would be like to travel at light speed, which has been a subject of fascination in science fiction and theoretical physics.

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