P1_3 Relativistic Optics

Abstract

The famous 1970s motion picture Star wars depicts the stars as stretched beams of light passing the view of the Millennium Falcon as it nears the speed of light. Investigations are undertaken into what an interstellar traveller would observe during their journey due to relativistic optics. It is concluded that the traveller would observe a central disc of aberrated radiation, whereby the frequencies are all blue-shifted; the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation peaks in intensity at λ 530nm, and visible light from stars peaks in the X-ray range (0.20 – 0.35nm).