Distance to Andromeda and the speed of light
May 25, 2019 5:22:28 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on May 25, 2019 5:22:28 GMT -5
Distance to Andromeda and the speed of light
The distance to the Andromeda galaxy, is a whopping 2.5 million light-years away. A light year is the distance light travels in one year while going at 186,000 miles per second. Seems fast, doesn't it? At that speed, light takes eight minutes to traverse 93 million miles from sun to Earth. It takes approx two seconds to do so from moon to Earth. Which means that traveling at light speed light, 186,000 miles (ca. 299,338 km) each second, a velocity which can circle the Earth 7 1/2 times in one second, a ship traveling that fast would still need 2.5 million years to get to Andromeda, and that the light we see from Andromeda began its journey 2.5 million years ago.
At a slower velocity, things are even worse. For example, Andromeda and the Milky way are are approaching each other at approx 68 miles per second. Much slower than the speed of light, but still definitely not slow by Earth standards. After all, on Earth that speed would enable us to cover 4,080 miles in one minute which would span the length of the United states and travel a thousand extra miles into the Pacific. Yet ETA to Andromeda at 68 miles per second would be four billion years
That same speed would cover 244,800 miles to the the moon in one hour.
At 587, 5200 miles (ca. 8,369 km) per day = Twenty four trips to the moon and back in one 24-hour day.
Sixty eight miles per second covers 176,256,000 miles per month and 211,5072,000 miles per year. That would be equivalent to crossing the distance from Earth to the Sun 22.74 times per year and still needing to do so four-billion times or taking four billion years to get to Andromeda
Of course on a ship travelling at close to speed of light velocities, time for the crew would travel slower making the survival of such a trip possible. But that's another story.
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Second Version
Andromeda, the nearest galaxy, which is not a satellite of our own Milky Way, is still a whopping 2.5 million light years away. That is a distance that is hard to imagine unless we delve into it little by little. First notice the unite being used, light years. Which means the distance light travels in one year. So it is telling us that light from Andromeda had to travel for 2,5 million years before reaching Earth. Is light that slow? Or is it that the distance is causing it to seem slow. Well, let’s consider some facts. Light from our sun which is 93 million miles from Earth takes eight minutes to reach us while traveling at 186,000 miles per second.
It takes approx two seconds to reach us from the moon wehich is approx 248,000 miles away.
Which means that traveling at light speed light, 186,000 miles each second, a velocity which can circle the Earth 7 1/2 times in one second, a ship would still need 2.5 million years to get to Andromeda.
But if we wait patiently Andromeda will come to us. You see, at present, Andromeda is approaching us, or better yet, we are approaching each other at approx 68 miles per second. Much slower than the speed of light, but still definitely not slow by Earth standards.
Let me illustrate:
Sixty-eight miles per second amounts to 4,080 miles a minute, which would span the length of the United states and travel a thousand extra miles into the pacific in one minute.
Sixty-eight miles per second, is 244,800 miles an hour, and reaches the moon in one hour.
Sixty-eight miles per second, equals 5,875,200 miles per day, which is equivalent to twenty-four trips to the moon and back, in one 24-hour day.
Sixty-eight miles per second, covers 176,256,000 miles per month and 211,5072,000 miles per year
That would be equivalent to crossing the distance from Earth to the Sun, 98 million miles, [an astronomical unit] 22.74 times per year and still needing to do so four-billion times or taking four billion years to get to Andromeda.
ETA at 68 miles per second = four billion years
ETA at 186,000 miles per second = 2.5 million years which is the time that the light we see from Andromeda takes to get to Earth.
Still want to purchase a ticket sir? LOL!