Comment by bouncycastle

I think it is an illusion because as you approach the speed of light everything in your wide view contracts to the front of where you are going, so it would seem like you are moving back. Stop, and you now appear closer. It's probably why you do not see this effect on sci fi films, instead they show the ship moving forward by streaking the stars showing through the window, which is more intuitive for our brains to understand.