Let the source's proper emission period be , and let it approach a stationary observer directly with speed . In the observer's inertial frame, consecutive emissions are separated by through time dilation. The second crest starts nearer the observer, reducing the arrival interval toSince light travels at in each inertial frame, the longitudinal relativistic Doppler effect isRecession reverses the sign of . More generally, if is the angle between the source velocity and the photon propagation direction in the observer's frame, a Lorentz transformation of the photon four-momentum gives .
The common Doppler scaling of spectral-line separations follows because every line receives the same wavelength factor . The supplied wavelengths have rest separation ; the measured separation gives . Defining for recession, inversion givesSource contradiction: a strictly approaching source has and must reduce the wavelength separation below , so no positive approach speed satisfies the stated . For example, approach at gives a separation of . The speed inferred from the numerical data is therefore about receding; retaining the word “approaching” would require a negative signed approach velocity. The two observed wavelengths consistent with the given separation are and .