2006-12-08 15:55:58 · 12 answers · asked by missiemoo 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
First, it isn't a reflection, it is light coming directly from the star (unless you are using a reflecting telescope). The age of the light depends on the distance to the start. If the star is 20 light years away, the light we see started out 20 years ago (our time).
2006-12-08 16:28:09 · answer #1 · answered by ZeedoT 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As mentioned, it depends on the distance of the star, because the further away a star is, the longer it will take for the light to get here. If you walk a mile down the road at a certain speed, it will take you twice as long to walk two miles going the same speed. Since stars are millions to billions (and more) miles away, and light travels at the same speed, the further away it is, the longer it takes to get here.
2006-12-08 16:03:10 · answer #2 · answered by Pecos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Starlight, unlike moonlight or planet light, is not reflected. Our sun is a star.
Anyways, the distance to stars is measured in light-years, the time light travels in a year.
The closest star is our sun at about 93 million miles. It takes light about 8 1/2 minutes to reach earth.
The closest star to the sun is Proxima Centauri, but its brighter neighbor Alpha Centauri, a double star, is so nearly the same distance that data about it are usually given. It is about 4 light years distance, or about 3.8x1016 m.
So, the light from the closest star, after out sun, is about 4 years old when it reaches us.
2006-12-08 16:00:27 · answer #3 · answered by modulo_function 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on how far away the star is. Some stars that are billions of light years away, we are just now seeing their light even though in actual time they might not even exist anymore.
2006-12-08 16:04:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
some people say the light from those stars are over a billion light years old
2006-12-08 15:58:45 · answer #5 · answered by tsuki 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How long's a piece of string? It depends. It might be as recent as a few years old, it might be millions of years old. Depends on the individual star
2006-12-08 16:00:45 · answer #6 · answered by natty10000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Hubble can see the end of the universe - the furthest star - that light is as old as the universe is.
2006-12-08 16:00:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the distance of the star.
2006-12-08 15:57:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the distance the star is from earth.
2006-12-08 15:57:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The light from our star, the sun, is only eight minutes old when it reaches earth.
2006-12-08 15:59:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋