"Did you know...?" - Wednesday, March 24, 2010

[tyvin]

You are looking at the sun as it was 8 minutes or so ago.

It gets better with the other stars farther out such as Alpha Centurus, the closet star to us after the sun.

It takes 3 light years for Alpha Ceturus's light to hit us.

Sometimes when I'm watching the stars I wonder if the planet has changed or had an explosion because what I'm seeing happened 3 years ago.

Trippy

[toosie]

Ya, light and time are, as the poster above me noted - trippy!

[ylisa7]

Get my sunglasses. Do I look younger?

[studedude]

Originally Posted by AksarbeN

And when we go to daylight savings time, it takes only 4 minutes instead of 8? lol

You spring ahead 60 min so you actually see the sun 52 min before it shines.

[Gue]

If there was no such thing as Night, the sun would have run out twice as fast!

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by Suncoast Guy

Did you know... If you look at the sun RIGHT NOW, you are technically looking back in time? It takes 8 minutes for light from the sun to reach Earth.

Will that mean that my sundial in the backyard is actually 8 minutes slow, and how to I reset it? lol

[TT Dave]

Yes, I actually knew this one!

[LaceyEx]

"Blinded by the light..."

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by Camper1

That's why I call it " dark time".

Me too!

[studedude]

Originally Posted by AksarbeN

Will that mean that my sundial in the backyard is actually 8 minutes slow, and how to I reset it? lol

Pick it up and hold it still while an assistant turns the earth 8 min to the left or is it right