help

Are We Seeing Objects in the Universe Today as They Appeared in the Past?

-- Manasi | October 13, 2020

Question:

HELLO SIR,
MY QUERY: EVERYTHING IS SO FAR AWAY FROM OUR OWN LITTLE PLANET THAT LIGHT FROM STARS AND GALAXIES CAN TAKE BILLIONS OF YEARS TO REACH US- SO WE SEE THE UNIVERSE AS IT LOOKED BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO. SO THEN, THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE, WERE THEY TOO SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO? OR ARE WE SEEING THEM AS THEY WERE A LONG TIME AGO?

THANK YOU,
MANASI

-- Manasi

Answer:

This question has been answered before on this blog. See the answer to Are We Seeing Stars as They Were in the Past? Due to the limits of the propagation of information via light, we see things in the universe today as they appeared in the past.

-- Jeff Mangum

Facebook

Twitter

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.