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You can not have it both ways. That is why I set it up as I did.The probe *appeared to be* 10 meters long from Earth. Since it was approaching Earth at .866c, it was *measured to be* 10 meters, "length contracted" by 1/2 at that velocity. Of course, to retrieve any object in space, the shuttle must match velocities with the object... come alongside. Then the *actual length* of the probe was found to be 20 meters. So it simply will not fit. I have repeated this at least a dozen times. Do you get it yet?
You also know the probe will not fit in the 10m cargo bay of the shuttle because when the shuttle’s relative velocity is also .866c the cargo bay will only accommodate a 5m probe judged from relative rest.
I truly understand your misgivings about “is” and “appears to be”.
The way I reconciled it was, “It ‘is’ when judged from relative rest”.
Here is something else to ponder:Suppose inside of the probe there is a constant light projected from one end to the other end of the probe in the direction of motion. What is the difference in that light when judged from the shuttle, which is moving at the same relative velocity as the probe (.866c) and when judged from relative rest?
I can not get the "SR experts" here to address this challenge.
QuoteI can not get the "SR experts" here to address this challenge.Please restate exactly what the “challenge” is.Thanks,Butch
Regarding this from yesterday: "I just know that the image is not the object"...
I also know that a possible image of a flattened Earth (say with a 1000 mile diameter in the direction of an observer's very high speed travel) would/could only be an appearence, an image of a flattened Earth. We all know that Earth's diameter is not, has never been and will never be 1000 miles.
Look at it this way:If you are on any of those ships, the “judged from” diameter is what you will see.
Forget for a moment about the "as judged from" relativistic psuedo-reality depending on how observer A sees it vs how observer B sees it vs how all the other 998 observers see it. EARTH DOES NOT CHANGE DIAMETERS. It is a relatively solid planet. Do you understand that? Do you agree?
JP stuck this thread here to avoid scrutiny of these challenges, I must presume. Now you are doing the same dance of avoidance.
Old guy, You don't seem to question the impact of time dilation and the well known idea that time passes differently for observers based on how close to c they are travelling.