2006-12-11 22:11:45 · 6 answers · asked by partha malakar 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Mercury is an average of 77000000000 metres from earth
Light travels about 300000000 metres per second
77000000000/300000000 = 256.7 seconds or 4.3 minutes
2006-12-11 22:29:06 · answer #1 · answered by Tom :: Athier than Thou 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Time will be required for coming of light from mercury to earth = 5.0 minutes approximately
2006-12-12 12:24:07 · answer #2 · answered by nasa_partha_malakar 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The time it takes light to travel one A.U. (Sun-Earth mean distance) is 499 seconds.
Mercury's mean orbital radius is 0.3871 A.U.
Earth's is 1 (by definition).
When Mercury is between the Sun and us (inferior conjunction), it's mean distance to us is 1-0.3871 = 0.6129 A.U.. Then light takes 499*0.6129=305.8 seconds
When Mercury is on the other side of the Sun from us (superior conjuction), it's mean distance is 1 + 0.3871.
In practice, the exact distance changes from one conjuction to the next, because Mercury's and Earth's orbits are not exactly circular.
If inferior conjunction occurs when Earth is closest to the Sun (early January) and Mercury furthest from the Sun, we may save a few seconds.
2006-12-12 10:30:56 · answer #3 · answered by Raymond 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's about 8.05 minutes light would take to travel the nearest possible distance between Mercury and Earth. For the furthest posible distance it would take a little more than twice that much.
However, there is no light "coming" from Mercury .. if at all, it's only refected light coming from the Sun.
2006-12-12 06:29:49 · answer #4 · answered by jhstha 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Roughly from 5 minutes to 11 minutes, depending on its orbital position relative to Earth.
2006-12-12 06:20:24 · answer #5 · answered by bh8153 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i think 1day+
2006-12-12 06:16:34 · answer #6 · answered by bryan 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋