A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect
Abstract In 1959, Roger Penrose and James Terrell independently predicted that the Lorentz contraction of fast moving objects is not visible in a snapshot photograph. Rather, the object would appear rotated. This surprising effect has never been tested experimentally. Here we demonstrate the Terrell...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Communications Physics |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02003-6 |
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| author | Dominik Hornof Victoria Helm Enar de Dios Rodriguez Thomas Juffmann Philipp Haslinger Peter Schattschneider |
| author_facet | Dominik Hornof Victoria Helm Enar de Dios Rodriguez Thomas Juffmann Philipp Haslinger Peter Schattschneider |
| author_sort | Dominik Hornof |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In 1959, Roger Penrose and James Terrell independently predicted that the Lorentz contraction of fast moving objects is not visible in a snapshot photograph. Rather, the object would appear rotated. This surprising effect has never been tested experimentally. Here we demonstrate the Terrell-Penrose effect in a laboratory setting. Using ps-laser pulses and ultra-fast photography with gating times as short as 300 ps, we achieve a virtual reduction of the speed of light to less than 2 m/s, enabling the visualization of relativistically moving objects in real time. Our results comprise simulations and experimentally synthesized snapshots of a sphere and a cube, which are animated to create a slow-motion effect for velocities close to the speed of light. An extension of our method to otherwise unobservable relativistic phenomena, e. g. the famous “train” thought experiment revealing the constancy of the speed of light, appears feasible. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1fcd11da08334e03af4761fc70a815be |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2399-3650 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-1fcd11da08334e03af4761fc70a815be2025-08-20T02:10:54ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Physics2399-36502025-05-01811510.1038/s42005-025-02003-6A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effectDominik Hornof0Victoria Helm1Enar de Dios Rodriguez2Thomas Juffmann3Philipp Haslinger4Peter Schattschneider5Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU WienVienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU WienKunstuniversität LinzVienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics, University of ViennaVienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU WienUniversity Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy, TU WienAbstract In 1959, Roger Penrose and James Terrell independently predicted that the Lorentz contraction of fast moving objects is not visible in a snapshot photograph. Rather, the object would appear rotated. This surprising effect has never been tested experimentally. Here we demonstrate the Terrell-Penrose effect in a laboratory setting. Using ps-laser pulses and ultra-fast photography with gating times as short as 300 ps, we achieve a virtual reduction of the speed of light to less than 2 m/s, enabling the visualization of relativistically moving objects in real time. Our results comprise simulations and experimentally synthesized snapshots of a sphere and a cube, which are animated to create a slow-motion effect for velocities close to the speed of light. An extension of our method to otherwise unobservable relativistic phenomena, e. g. the famous “train” thought experiment revealing the constancy of the speed of light, appears feasible.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02003-6 |
| spellingShingle | Dominik Hornof Victoria Helm Enar de Dios Rodriguez Thomas Juffmann Philipp Haslinger Peter Schattschneider A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect Communications Physics |
| title | A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect |
| title_full | A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect |
| title_fullStr | A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect |
| title_short | A snapshot of relativistic motion: visualizing the Terrell-Penrose effect |
| title_sort | snapshot of relativistic motion visualizing the terrell penrose effect |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02003-6 |
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