Question about stars and light after a trip to the Hayden Planetarium

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the visibility of distant stars and the factors influencing their brightness as observed from Earth. A participant questions the relationship between the speed of light and the intensity of light from stars billions of light years away. It is established that while the speed of light is constant, the intensity of light diminishes according to the inverse square law as it travels through space. This means that brighter stars can be seen from greater distances due to their higher intensity, which compensates for the vast distances involved.

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  • Understanding of the speed of light and its implications in astronomy
  • Familiarity with the inverse square law in physics
  • Basic knowledge of light intensity and brightness
  • Awareness of observational astronomy techniques and equipment
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  • Research the inverse square law and its applications in astrophysics
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  • Investigate the factors that influence star brightness and visibility from Earth
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Astronomy enthusiasts, students studying astrophysics, educators teaching concepts of light and visibility, and anyone interested in the mechanics of observing distant celestial objects.

joeb1990
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Ok so I was at the Hayden Planetarium and a plaque was describing a star billions of light years away that we can see because it is so much brighter. I was puzzled thinking about this. If the speed of light is constant there is no reason the intensity of it's light should affect how far away we can see it right? I mean if something is 13 billion light years away it will take 13 billion years to reach us regardless of intensity. Shouldn't we be able to see anything in this time frame as long as the light has been traveling long enough? Is it something to do with the sensitivity of the equipment? Thanks!
 
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The light is not in one direction. Since it spreads out in all directions, the intensity in any specific direction decreases by an inverse square law with distance.
 

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