Comments on: Warp speed, Scotty

By: AstroJargon of the Week: Blazar « One Astronomer's Noise

AstroJargon of the Week: Blazar « One Astronomer's Noise — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:27:59 +0000

[...] This week’s… last week’s… aw, did I miss a week? Anyway, THIS week’s “astrojargon” has a super-fun name, and it’s a pretty fun object as well. I’m talking about blazars. This is a subclass of AGN, the jargon with which I started my series. A blazar is highly variable, very luminous, and quite polarized. (Polarization means that the light has a preferred orientation.) Whereas 10% of all AGN rare bright in radio light, all blazars emit radio emission. In fact, they emit lots of light all across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio through to gamma ray. When the radio jet is viewed up-close, the jets often exhibit super-luminal motion. It seems as though they are moving faster than the speed of light! However, it’s all due to a trick of geometry. [...]

By: James C. Wallace II

James C. Wallace II — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:32:15 +0000

Now you need to work on your best Carl Sagan impression… Billions and billions….

By: nophead

nophead — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:38:29 +0000

I think this is the same reason an oscilloscope spot can traverse the screen faster than the speed of light .

By: mahlersoboes

mahlersoboes — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:32:25 +0000

I have heard of this phenomenon, but never seen it explained in such a palatable, digestible way (to a dilettante amateur scientist, anyway). Thanks! 96% the speed of light is still awesomely fast…wow.

By: Hal

Hal — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:47:27 +0000

I think that is an excellent description. Thank you for posting something I never thought about before (not a scientist myself). Really enjoyed it.