2007-02-25 06:46:26 · 3 answers · asked by Al 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It really depends on where you define the end of the solar system to be. Beyond the 8 planets is the Kuyper belt, which contains Pluto-like objects, and beyond that is the Oort cloud, which contains icy, comet-like objects. The solar system just peters out after a while; there's no distinct boundary between the solar system and interstellar space.
It takes light about 6 hours to travel from the sun to Neptune, which is the outermost planet. If you consider that to be the edge of the solar system, then it takes 12 hours for light to cross it. If you still consider Pluto's orbit to be the boundary, it's 16 hours. If you take in the Oort cloud, it takes a few days.
2007-02-25 08:12:41 · answer #1 · answered by Rando 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, the speed of light is constant at 3 x 10^8 m/s. So, I'm not exactly sure how large our solar system is, so you find that distance and divide it by the speed of light. Because T=D/(3x10^8), D being Distance. I hope this helped.
2007-02-25 06:56:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I recall that it was 6 light hours from Earth to Pluto. So that (plus 8 light minutes, Earth to Sun) would be the radius.
2007-02-25 07:05:07 · answer #3 · answered by stargazergurl22 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋