Time and space in other dimensions
The incredibly huge distances in space are stated in light years, in other words the time taken for light to travel these distances. The speed of light in a vacuum – and therefore in space – is 299,792,458 metres per second, which is almost 300,000 kilometres per second. A year has 31.6 million seconds, so a light year is equivalent to 9.46 x 10¹² = 9.46 trillion kilometres.
Average distance Earth – Moon
1.28 light seconds / 384,400 km
Average distance Earth – Sun
499 light seconds / 149,597,870 km
So the light of the Sun is a little more than eight minutes old when it reaches us. This distance is also known as an “astronomical unit AU”.
Average distance Earth – Neptune
Around 4 light hours / 4.5 billion km
Neptune is the outermost planet of our solar system.
Earth – Proxima Centauri
4.244 light years
Proxima Centauri is the nearest star outside our own solar system.
Earth – Andromeda galaxy
2.5 million light years
The Andromeda galaxy is the most distant object that can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye.
Estimated size of the visible Universe
93 billion light years
1.28 light seconds / 384,400 km
Average distance Earth – Sun
499 light seconds / 149,597,870 km
So the light of the Sun is a little more than eight minutes old when it reaches us. This distance is also known as an “astronomical unit AU”.
Average distance Earth – Neptune
Around 4 light hours / 4.5 billion km
Neptune is the outermost planet of our solar system.
Earth – Proxima Centauri
4.244 light years
Proxima Centauri is the nearest star outside our own solar system.
Earth – Andromeda galaxy
2.5 million light years
The Andromeda galaxy is the most distant object that can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye.
Estimated size of the visible Universe
93 billion light years
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