Scientists Capture First Images of Terrell-Penrose Effect

Photographs show objects moving near light speed appear rotated, not compressed.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Austrian physicists have captured the first images of the Terrell-Penrose effect, a century-old prediction that objects moving near light speed appear rotated rather than squished in photographs. Using femtosecond lasers and gated cameras, the researchers were able to slow down light and reconstruct how it behaves at such high speeds, revealing this mind-bending optical illusion.

Why it matters

This breakthrough extends beyond academic curiosity, as the ultra-fast photography techniques could revolutionize consumer gadgets, improving everything from burst mode captures to augmented reality rendering that accounts for relativistic effects in virtual environments. It also makes the abstract concepts of Einstein's theories tangible for students and the public.

The details

The Terrell-Penrose effect emerges from light's journey, not the object itself moving. When something rockets toward light speed, it appears rotated - a cube reveals two faces plus a corner, as if the camera angle has twisted. This is an optical illusion caused by light from different parts of the object taking varying travel times to reach the eye. Researchers at TU Wien and the University of Vienna used femtosecond laser pulses and gated cameras to slow down light to just 2 meters per second, allowing them to reconstruct and photograph this effect.

  • The Terrell-Penrose effect was first predicted in 1924 by Anton Lampa, with the theory further refined by Roger Penrose and James Terrell in 1959.
  • The first images of the Terrell-Penrose effect were captured by researchers in 2026.

The players

TU Wien

A public research university in Vienna, Austria, where some of the research on the Terrell-Penrose effect was conducted.

University of Vienna

A public research university in Vienna, Austria, where some of the research on the Terrell-Penrose effect was conducted.

Dominik Hornof

A researcher from TU Wien who explains that the rotation seen in the images is an optical illusion caused by how light arrives at the observer's eye.

Peter Schattschneider

A researcher who notes the striking visual results of the Terrell-Penrose effect, such as a cube appearing twisted and a sphere's North Pole appearing in a different place.

Anton Lampa

A physicist who first predicted the Terrell-Penrose effect in 1924.

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What they’re saying

“The rotation is not physical—it's an optical illusion. The geometry of how light arrives... tricks our eyes.”

— Dominik Hornof, Researcher, TU Wien (gadgetreview.com)

“A cube appears twisted, a sphere remains a sphere, but the North Pole is in a different place.”

— Peter Schattschneider, Researcher (gadgetreview.com)

What’s next

Educational technology companies are already exploring applications for physics simulations that let students experience Einstein's predictions firsthand.

The takeaway

This breakthrough in capturing the Terrell-Penrose effect makes the abstract concepts of relativity tangible, paving the way for practical applications in consumer technology like improved smartphone photography and augmented reality rendering.