I have always liked asking students to describe what they would literally
see if they were standing on the surface of the Moon while someone on
Earth played a (very bright) laser beam across their position in such a
way that the illuminated patch on the Moon's surface runs toward them, and
then past them at a speed greater than c. Of course, the answer requires
no understanding whatsoever of relativity, but it does have to do with
some of the same concepts that are involved in the Terrell effect.
John
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A. John Mallinckrodt http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm
Professor of Physics mailto:ajm@csupomona.edu
Physics Department voice:909-869-4054
Cal Poly Pomona fax:909-869-5090
Pomona, CA 91768-4031 office:Building 8, Room 223