Superluminal Pair Events in Astronomical Settings: Sweeping Beams

Reflected sweeping beams of light with superluminal speeds can show
spot pair creation and annihilation events that provide unique
information to observers. Such faster-than-light speeds are a well
known phenomenon that do not violate special relativity. Superluminal
pair events may be real illumination events on the scattering surface,
or virtual events only perceived by the observer. The theory behind
the creation and annihilation of superluminal spot pairs will be
reviewed. Counter-intuitive motions of such spots created by a laser
sweeping across Earth's Moon will be highlighted as an example. Other
astronomical settings where such superluminal pair events might be
found and could be useful will be reviewed.