Can we use technology to view the past through stars?

[Hena Adlakha]

Hi. I am new here! My first question:
We are watching those stars which were present many years ago in the sky. So, basically, we are viewing the past.
Now, my question is that, if we develop some kind of technology through which we are on such a 'star' and are magnifying earth(just assume), would we be looking at the past?

 

[PeroK]

Hi. I am new here! My first question:
We are watching those stars which were present many years ago in the sky. So, basically, we are viewing the past.
Now, my question is that, if we develop some kind of technology through which we are on such a 'star' and are magnifying earth(just assume), would we be looking at the past?

Welcome to Physics Forums! You need to repost your question in the appropriate section. Suffice to say we are always looking at the past, usually it's just a few nanoseconds. When the astronauts were on the moon, they were seeing the Earth as it was 1.25 seconds earlier.

 

[Hena Adlakha]

Welcome to Physics Forums! You need to repost your question in the appropriate section. Suffice to say we are always looking at the past, usually it's just a few nanoseconds. When the astronauts were on the moon, they were seeing the Earth as it was 1.25 seconds earlier.

Okay! Thank you very much for the fast response. I didn't know that it was just a matter of seconds. Thank you again.

 

[russ_watters]

...er, it is a few seconds if you are looking at the moon. if you are looking at the stars, it is years to thousands of years.

And magnifying just makes an image bigger. it doesn't change how the light got to you.