Why does time appear to stop when traveling at the speed of light?

[Petenerd]

Why would time stop if you travel at the speed of light?

 

[Tac-Tics]

Why would time stop if you travel at the speed of light?

Keep in mind that you always see time moving at the usual rate. It's other things that appear to move slower through time.

By the equations, yes. An object moving at the speed of light through space stands still in time. However, for massive objects, this can't happen, because massive objects can't be brought to the speed of light.

If you bring an object very, very close to the speed of light, it flow of time slows to very, very close to zero.

 

[HallsofIvy]

If you do not interpret Tac-Tics' last sentence correctly it would appear to contradict the first sentence. "If you bring an object very, very close to the speed of light" as measured in your frame of reference "its flow of time"- as observed in your frame of reference- "slows to very, very close to zero".

If I moved past you at "very,very close to the speed of light", relative to you, you would see my clocks going very slowly. I, myself, would not see them moving slowly- in fact, I would see your clocks moving slowly because in my frame of reference I am stationary and you are moving "very, very close to the speed of light" relative to me.