Methods to Test the “Dimming Effect” Produced by a Decrease in the Number of Photons Received from Receding Light Sources

Abstract

The hypothetical “Dimming effect” describes the change of the number of photons arriving from a receding light source per unit of time. In non-relativistic systems,the "Dimming effect" occurs due to the fact that as light sources move away, the distance between the emitter and the receiver constantly increases, and the photons always take longer to reach the receiver. This reduces the number of photons received per time unit compared to the number of emitted photons per time unit. Negligible for speeds incomparable with the speed of light c, the "Dimming effect" can be very significant for speeds above 0.1c. “Dimming effect” can possibly be tested in a physics labor-atory using a moving light source (or mirror) and photon counters located in the travel direction and in opposite direction. It can possibly also be tested utilizing the orbital movement of the Earth around the Sun. If confirmed, “Dimming effect” would allow astronomers to adjust values of the "Standard Candles", which are critical in cosmological models. Absence of “Dimming effect” will mean that the number of photons arriving per time unit does not depend on the relative speed of light source and observer,which is not so apparent