Suppose a star is 300 light years away. The number tells you the distance to the star. It also tells you that the light you are seeing started on its journey from the star 300 years ago. If a star that is nine light years away blew up today, when would we know about it?

Question

jfraser · Answer

use the same logic as the 300ly star

anonymous · Answer

so 9 light years?

jfraser · Answer

but remember a light year is a distance, if the star blew up today, we wouldn't see it for ....

anonymous · Answer

10 years?

jfraser · Answer

the star is 9 light years away. the light that leaves that star will take 9 years to get here. 9 years

anonymous · Answer

Oh okay gotcha! Thank you so much! :D