Is Our View of Galaxies Distorted by Their Light Travel Time and Gravity?

[Teeril]

I was wondering, when we look at galaxies head on through a telescope, do we get a distorted view?

What I mean is for example if the core is aimed directly at us so we see the galaxy from the top then the light of all stars is pretty much the same age. But in the galaxy itself there's a difference depending on the size.

So if for example the core is 100.000 light year away from the outer reaches wouldn't the rotation on the outer reaches seem 100.000 light year further than the rotation at the center?

 

[Dale]

Yes, you are correct. We get a distorted view.