Describe the way light leaves a star, travels through the vacumn of space, & finally is seen by people?

Question

people on Earth.

Answer 1

Stars are composed primarily of hydrogen. As the external pressure of the hydrogen presses down onto the mass of the star due to gravity and the internal pressure of the star is developed by nuclear fusion, the star maintains hydraulic equilibrium. Four hydrogen atoms combine during the fusion process, under extremely high pressures and temperatures, to form one helium atom. The helium atom, however, is slightly smaller in mass than the original four hydrogen atoms. The difference in mass is converted to energy in the form of a photon -- a source of light energy emitted by the star. The photon eventually leaves the core of the star and is emitted from the star in the form of a particle of light. The light particle travels through the emptiness of space and eventually reaches some object in space where the energy is either absorbed into the mass of the object or reflected off the object back into space to continue its travel to another object. Since the photon is emitted from the star in the visible light spectrum, it is easily seen by anyone who can see photons in the proper spectrum. There are more spectra which we cannot directly observe as visible light -- e.g., ultraviolet, radio waves, gamma rays, etc.

Answer 2

That's the clincher, no one knows for sure.

Since light is both particle and wave, it's possible the particles are what reach us.

This is the problem with things. Waves need a medium to propegate and for years they though that space had a medium they called the Aether, but NO ONE could detect it.

It could be that the universe is made up of dark and light matter and that waves move through both of this.

It is also possible that electro magnetic radition (waves) are actually vibrating particle and the wave is the vibration of the particles.

No one can truely explain it yet.

The Aethether theory would explain it, but NO ONE can prove there is this "atomosphere" in space.

It is also possible wave react against the fabric of gravity.

Like I said, no one knows for sure.