Relativistic aberration

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In Einstein's special theory of relativity, and in other relativistic models such as Newtonian emission theory, the aberration of light obeys a particular equation referred to as the relativistic aberration formula.

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.

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).

[edit] See also

• Relativistic beaming
• Aberration redshift