2007-02-22 13:16:07 · 15 answers · asked by Manz 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The sun's rays due to the relative motion of the earth are not captured in a straight line from the sun. so the motion of the photons relative as observed from the Earth would trace a parabolic trajectory. If the Earth was not moving than you can calculate the path of the light ray as a straight line. but since the earth is moving relative to the ray the distance travelled would be At an angle Therefore it traveldistance is longer and so is the travel time. So an error is introduced it the time calculation is on a straightline.Depending where the ray is observed on the earth the ray of light would take from 498 to 660 seconds to reach the observer.
If light ray from a Star is observed the ray would be bent at angle of 20.5 seconds.this angle is called the angle of aberration.
2007-02-22 14:17:47 · answer #1 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On average, the distance from the Earth to the Sun is 93,000,000 miles.
The speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second in a vacuum.
Lets do some conversions....
93,000,000 miles = 149,668,992,000 meters
149,668,992,000 meters/299,792,458 meters per second = 499 seconds (rounded off)
499 seconds - there is the answer to your question - about 500 seconds.
499 seconds/60 seconds per minute = 8.32 minutes
So its about 8.32 minutes give or take a bit due to the fact that Earth and the Sun vary in their distance from one another since the Earth does no have a perfectly circular orbit.
This is just a stoichiometry problem - ie a unit conversion problem.
Edit - goring - sorry, but that's not right - the light isn't taking a parabolic path to reach Earth. Rather, Earth 'runs into' the photon on its straight path away from the Sun. The only straight path available in the presence of a gravitational field is the one directly parallel to the field - IE - directly away from the center of the source.
2007-02-22 14:28:41 · answer #2 · answered by Justin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The suns rays reach the Earth every second. As far as how long it takes the light to get here, it takes approximately 8 minutes for the light from the sun to travel to the earth, depending on the tilt of the earth & it's position in orbit.
2007-02-22 13:18:41 · answer #3 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the sun were to blow up we would have 8 minutes to do whatever we love doing most, for example a certain former president would meet up with a certain intern. Lol just kidding 8 minutes from the sun to the earth in light speed.
2016-05-24 00:41:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it takes 9 minutes for the light from the sun to reach the Earth. I believe it is 93,000,000 miles away.
2007-02-22 13:19:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes about 8 minutes, or 480 seconds.
2007-02-22 13:19:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
8 Minutes (480 seconds).
2007-02-22 13:27:07 · answer #7 · answered by nobious1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
8.3 minutes or 8 Minutes 20 Seconds or 500 seconds (all are the same)
2007-02-22 14:02:28 · answer #8 · answered by mcdonaldcj 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it takes 8 minutes for the sun's light to reach us
2007-02-22 13:18:24 · answer #9 · answered by rman1201 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
480 seconds
2007-02-22 13:19:12 · answer #10 · answered by Renaissance Man 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋