Light Year Question: When Will We See It?

In summary, a light year is a unit of measurement used to describe extremely large distances in space, defined as the distance that light travels in one year. It is more practical than regular units of measurement because of the vast distances in space. We cannot physically see a light year, but can observe objects at a certain distance in light years. Light can travel one light year in one year, which is approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers or 5.88 trillion miles. However, it is currently not possible for us to travel a light year in a spaceship due to the limitations of our technology.
  • #1
roxxyroxx
48
0

Homework Statement


If a star explodes 30 light years from the Earth when will we be able to see it?


Homework Equations



one light year = 9.47 x 1012km
speed of light = 3.00 x 108m/s

The Attempt at a Solution


the answer in my workbook says 30a but idk what the value of a is
 
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  • #2
The definition of light year tells us that light will take 30 years to travel that distance, so the answer is indeed 30 years.
 
  • #3
a could be an abbreviation for annum (year) or anni (years).
 

1. What is a light year?

A light year is a unit of measurement used to describe extremely large distances in space. It is defined as the distance that light travels in one year, which is approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers.

2. Why do we use light years instead of regular units of measurement?

Light years are used to describe distances in space because they are more practical than regular units of measurement like kilometers or miles. The vast distances in space are so immense that using regular units would involve extremely large numbers, making it difficult to comprehend.

3. When will we see a light year?

Since a light year is a unit of distance, we cannot physically see a light year. We can observe objects that are located at a certain distance in light years, but we cannot see the actual distance itself.

4. How far can light travel in a light year?

As the name suggests, light can travel one light year in one year. This is equivalent to approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers, or 5.88 trillion miles.

5. Can we travel a light year in a spaceship?

At our current level of technology, it is not possible to travel a light year in a spaceship. The fastest spacecrafts can travel at speeds of up to 0.01% the speed of light, which would take thousands of years to travel one light year. This is due to the immense distances and the limitations of our current technology.

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