Is There a Massive Time-Image Gap in Observing Distant Galaxies?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eden27
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
Images and data collected from distant galaxies are indeed millions of years old by the time they reach Earth, as light from these galaxies takes millions of years to travel to us. For instance, observing a galaxy 10 million light years away reflects its state from 10 million years ago. This creates a significant time/image gap when considering the vast distances involved in space observation. The delay in human perception, such as the 50 milliseconds it takes for sight to occur, further emphasizes this gap. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for interpreting astronomical data accurately.
Eden27
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Are the images and data we collect of galaxies and other bodies millions of light years away millions of years old by the time we even take them? For example human sight takes about 50 milliseconds to occur. So there has to be a massive time/image gap between such great distances right?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Right!

An image of a galaxy 10 million light years away is showing it as it was ten million years ago.

BTW, welcome to these Forums Eden!

Garth
 
Thank you for both an answer and the welcome.
 

Thread 'Potential biosignature found in Mars rock'

Publication: Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars Article: NASA Says Mars Rover Discovered Potential Biosignature Last Year Press conference The ~100 authors don't find a good way this could have formed without life, but also can't rule it out. Now that they have shared their findings with the larger community someone else might find an explanation - or maybe it was actually made by life.
View full post »

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »

Thread 'Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos'

This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...
View full post »

Similar threads

I How fast were distant galaxies moving?
Replies
7
Views
2K
I A cold, massive, rotating disk galaxy 1.5 billion years after the BB
Replies
1
Views
2K
I Observation of the Messier 87 Super Massive Black Hole
Replies
2
Views
2K
B How did Earth get so far away from other galaxies?
Replies
12
Views
2K
I How fast do galaxies 1 billion light-years away move away from us?
Replies
2
Views
2K
B Observational bias? Lack of massive black hole observations....
Replies
4
Views
2K
I How on Earth This is possible? (distance to a far galaxy)
Replies
4
Views
2K
I Phase Contrast Telescope - Part II
Replies
25
Views
2K
I Ultraluminous X-ray source in the galaxy NGC 55
Replies
0
Views
1K
B Can the "Dark Energy" concept be wrong?
Replies
13
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top