When we observe distant celestial objects like stars, we are seeing them as they were in the past because light takes time to travel across space; for example, Proxima Centauri, the nearest star beyond our Sun at 4 trillion miles away, takes over 4 years for its light to reach Earth, meaning we see it as it was years ago rather than as it exists now.
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Your eyes are seeing a star's past.Added:
Look up at the night sky.
>> [music] >> That star's light left 4 years ago. It's Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to [music] you beyond our sun, and it's 4 trillion miles away. That distance means it's [music] light, traveling at 186,000 miles every second, still takes more than 4 years to reach your eyes. So, when you glimpse Proxima Centauri, [music] you're not seeing it as it is right now. You're seeing it as it was.
That light you see is an image of its past [music] self, traveling across space for 4 years just to arrive at your retina.
>> [music] >> And Proxima Centauri isn't just a distant point of light. It's orbited by Proxima b, an actual Earth-like world [music] that might be holding life.
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