Different Slices of Now Observable from Earth?

[Zentrails]

This is equivalent to my second guess. If the radar beam is very narrow it will be blocked, otherwise diffraction ensures some 'gets by'.

To the extent rate of change is constant, yes. But I would expect a rather peaky affair.

Not quite - sign of Doppler shift will reverse owing to reversed sense of rate of change of time delay.

Yep, you're right. I was proposing a spherical wave propagating from the source like a radio station with only one antenna, not a beam, but sure a little bit would get by due to diffraction.

As the ships come out from behind the sun the apparent distance will appear to be decreasing with time, giving a blue shift, I missed that somehow. So, you CAN get a blue shift from gravitational bending, I was wrong about that. It would certainly be a very strange set of red, then blue shifts like you said.

It is fascinating and far from my expertise, which is polymer physics. Especially some of the newer results coming out using materials with negative RI's, which I don't understand at all.

I sent the thought experiment to my physics major college sophomore daughter. It will be interesting if she spots my error. If she does she'll be happy, she loves catching my mistakes!

Now, back to NOW! LOL

 

[Q-reeus]

I sent the thought experiment to my physics major college sophomore daughter. It will be interesting if she spots my error. If she does she'll be happy, she loves catching my mistakes!

And maybe she's a good catch!:!)

Now, back to NOW! LOL

Right on - there's no time like the present!

 

[Zentrails]

And maybe she's a good catch!:!)

Right on - there's no time like the present!

Her boyfriend thinks so, and he's Russian from a rich family, so that's OK with me,
especially since they are both straight A physics majors this semester. <shameless bragging/>

And there is no better present than time!
I hope I get lots for Xmas.