ok.
how long does it take to travel one light year? like on a space ship?
2007-05-20 12:41:35 · 16 answers · asked by ?Victoria? 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
One light-year is approximately 5.9 trillion miles.
And the speed of light is about 3.0 x 10^8 meters/second. So, I suppose you could multiply this number times how many seconds there are in a year to get how far (in meters) light would travel in a year.
2007-05-20 12:44:32 · answer #1 · answered by jmulderscully 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how fast the space ship is travelling and from which perspective you view the space ship from....
If you are on a space ship that is travelling at half the speed of light (ie half of 186,000 miles/sec or 300,000km/sec), you'll reach your one light year destination in two years... But to those on earth... you'd reach your destination in 2.3 years as per Einsteins "Clock Paradox" theorem which states:
Ratio of clock on earth to clock on space ship = 1/[[(1-(v/c)^2)]^1/2] where v is your velocity and c is the speed of light.
So the closer to the speed of light you travel, the infinately longer you'll take according to those who witness you on earth (try putting 1 in for your speed/speed of light ratio in the equation). The equation then becomes 1/(1-1) or 1/0!
To make space travel even worse, you mass increases at the same ratio as you approach the speed of light...
2007-05-20 13:42:05 · answer #2 · answered by Moose 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A light-year, also light year or lightyear, (symbol: ly) is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres (i.e. 10^16 metres). As defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a light-year is the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year
2016-05-22 09:58:49 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A light year is the distance that light travels in a year, so one light year is one year. For example, the star Sirius is about 8.6 light years away. So, the light that you see from that star left that star a little more than 8 and a half years ago, and is just now reaching Earth, and your eye.
2007-05-20 13:15:09 · answer #4 · answered by Tikimaskedman 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The distance light travels in a year.
That is;
186000 x 60 x 60 x 24 x 365
The answer is in miles.
2007-05-20 12:49:26 · answer #5 · answered by producer_vortex 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the speed of the space ship.
2007-05-20 14:03:30 · answer #6 · answered by steve b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A light year is 5865696000000 miles
2007-05-20 12:52:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
About six trillion miles long. Find the number of seconds in a year and multiply by 186,000. It will be about 5.8 trillion.
2007-05-21 00:03:48 · answer #8 · answered by david37863 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tough answer. The length of 1 light year is (drumroll) 1 year.
2007-05-20 16:38:46 · answer #9 · answered by John B 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It depends on how fast you're travelling, and in who's inertial reference frame you're taking the measurement.
Doug
2007-05-20 13:00:44 · answer #10 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋