When I passing by the library, I found the latest issue October 2016 "Astronomy - The world's best-selling astronomy magazine".
There's a article that catch my attention, "Light from distant stars" by Glenn Chaple. How the star far distant to as?
1 light year is the distance light can travel in vacuum in one year's time. This distance is equivalent to roughly 9,461,000,000,000 km or 5,878,000,000,000 miles. This is such a large distance. For comparison, consider the circumference of the Earth when measured at the equator: 40,075 km. (Source: www.universetoday.com/39725/1-light-year/ )
The bright stars in the Great Square of Pegasus, visible throughout the fall in the northern Hemisphere, lie at different distances from us. (Bill and Sally Fletcher - Astronomy October 2016 Issue)
Mr. Glenn Chaple explain the distant of the stars of Fomalhaut, Alpherats, Markab, Scheat and Algenib and the differences of the stars.
Fomalhaut (Alpha [a] Piscis Austrini)
Fomalhaut is sometimes referred to as the "Lonely Star" because it occupies a barren region between the star-rich fields of the summer and winter Milky Way. At the distance of 25 light-years.
Let's do a little Math.
If the 25 light-years in Kilometers:
9,461,000,000,000 x 25 = 236,525,000,000,000 km
In Miles:
5,878,000,000,000 x 25 = 146,950,000,000,000 miles
Alpheratz (Alpha Andromedae)
Alpheratz occupies the northeast corner of the Great Square and is the only member of the quartet that isn't part of Pegasus. Alpheratz distances was 97 light-years.
Let's do a little Math.
If the 97 light-years in Kilometers:
9,461,000,000,000 x 97 = 917,717,000,000,000 km
In Miles:
5,878,000,000,000 x 97 = 570,166,000,000,000 miles
Markab (Alpha Pegasi)
Opposite Alpheratz in the Great Square is Markab. Markab distance was 133 light-years.
Let's do a little Math.
If the 133 light-years in Kilometers:
9,461,000,000,000 x 133 = 1,258,313,000,000,000 km
In Miles:
5,878,000,000,000 x 133 = 781,774,000,000,000 miles
Scheat (Beta [B] Pegasi)
The star we observe at the northwest corner of the Great Square.
Let's do a little Math.
If the 196 light-years in Kilometers:
9,461,000,000,000 x 196 = 1,854,356,000,000,000 km
In Miles:
5,878,000,000,000 x 196 = 1,152,088,000,000,000 miles
Algenib (Gamma Pegasi)
Algenib one of the Great Square at the southeast corner. Algenib distance is uncertain, 333 light-years.
If the 333 light-years in Kilometers:
9,461,000,000,000 x 333 = 3,150,513,000,000,000 km
In Miles:
5,878,000,000,000 x 333 = 1,957,374,000,000,000 miles
Now, do you want to go to see that stars? :D We need a wormhole to speed up our travel. Maybe in the future...
Source:
Follow me @lapilipinas