If a star died before the light reached Earth, would we ever see it?

Answer 1

Yes. In fact we'd see it long after it died, we would only stop seeing it after all the light that had been emitted reached us, so however long it takes for the light to get here is how long after it died we'd see it.

Answer 2

We should, provided nothing disperses or blocks the light before it reaches us. Assuming humans are still around by the time the light of that star reached Earth, we would see not only the ongoing light of the star but the eventual death of the star as well. Just because the star dies doesn't mean the light it generated before its death and is traveling on its way through the universe somehow magically goes away.

Answer 3

The light that has already left the star will still reach us. So, we'll still see the star sometime after it has died. For example, light from the sun takes 8 minutes to reach earth. So, if the sun were to go out now, we'd still keep seeing it for 8 more minutes.

Answer 4

just because the source of light died, doesn't mean the light did.when you look at a star in the sky, seeing the star, doesn't actually mean that the star is still there.the only thing that can prove that the star isn't there, is when we notice that it went supernova, at that time we can say that it wasn't there 10,000 years ago, since it was 10,000 light years away, or a billion light years away. so to answer your question, yes we would see it and then we would see what it turned into.

Answer 5

The reason we see stars in the sky is because the light emitted reaches earth. I would say that it would be impossible not to see a star if it did die. :)

Answer 6

The only thing we ever see from a star is the light it emits that travels to us.

We have, infact, seen several supernovae from here on earth. All those stars' light was travelling to us well after the star itself had nova'd.

So, yes.

Answer 7

From what I understand. A lot of the stars we see are already dead. So I would have to say yes.

Answer 8

Absolutely.