Past exam of the relativity course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Section B / 6 / b / v

Use the specified hyperbolic trajectory. The emitted right-moving photon follows $x=L+t-t_0$, so its retarded null coordinate is $p=t_0-L$. Interception at astronaut proper time $\tau$ requiresThe astronaut has velocity $v=\tanh (a\tau )$ relative to the star and $\gamma =\cosh (a\tau )$. The collinear relativistic Doppler effect givesThis is the Doppler shift for a uniformly accelerated receiver. A finite reception time exists precisely when $t_0<L$, so the limiting emission time is $L$, approached from below. At $t_0=L$ the photon lies on the Rindler horizon and never reaches the astronaut. If reception is restricted to $\tau \ge 0$, the full emission range is $L-1/a\le t_0<L$; for emission after $t=0$, it is $0\le t_0<L$.