- #1
jacksnap
- 12
- 0
Hi,
This is probably a beginners question, but ill ask it anyway as it has me confused.I have read quite a few posts from clever people here (so I assume its correct) that the closer to light speed you get, the slower time gets, and also distances get shorter.
Effectively meaning that, say for a photon, the universe is very small in its direction of travel and can be traversed in, practically, no time at all.
Then, why do we always measure distances in light years? we say the Andromeda Galaxy is roughly 2.5 million light years away, so traveling at the speed of light it would take us 2.5 million years.
Dont these 2 statements conflict, surely if we went at the speed of light (which I know is impossible) we would get there in a VERY short time.
Also if the first statement is true, then why does it take time for light from the sun to get to us etc.I suspect its to do with the reference frames, and perhaps the zero time is what the photon 'feels', but from our reference frame it takes the longer time?
I personally would love to measure everything from the frame of the object moving, but I guess humans want to measure everything from their own reference frame and that's why we say its 2.5 million years.
Any extra info would be great.
Jason
This is probably a beginners question, but ill ask it anyway as it has me confused.I have read quite a few posts from clever people here (so I assume its correct) that the closer to light speed you get, the slower time gets, and also distances get shorter.
Effectively meaning that, say for a photon, the universe is very small in its direction of travel and can be traversed in, practically, no time at all.
Then, why do we always measure distances in light years? we say the Andromeda Galaxy is roughly 2.5 million light years away, so traveling at the speed of light it would take us 2.5 million years.
Dont these 2 statements conflict, surely if we went at the speed of light (which I know is impossible) we would get there in a VERY short time.
Also if the first statement is true, then why does it take time for light from the sun to get to us etc.I suspect its to do with the reference frames, and perhaps the zero time is what the photon 'feels', but from our reference frame it takes the longer time?
I personally would love to measure everything from the frame of the object moving, but I guess humans want to measure everything from their own reference frame and that's why we say its 2.5 million years.
Any extra info would be great.
Jason
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