Light Speed Journey Simulator
Discover how long light takes to travel from cosmic objects to your eyes
299,792,458
meters per second
The fastest speed possible in our universe
Choose a Category
Select a Cosmic Object
🌙
The Moon
Earth's only natural satellite
☀️
The Sun
Our parent star
🔴
Mars
The Red Planet
🪐
Jupiter
Largest planet in our solar system
🔵
Neptune
The outermost ice giant
⚫
Pluto
Dwarf planet at solar system's edge
⭐
Proxima Centauri
Closest star to our Solar System
✨
Alpha Centauri A & B
Binary star system, third brightest in night sky
🔴
Barnard's Star
Red dwarf, second closest star system
💫
Sirius (Dog Star)
Brightest star in night sky
⭐
Vega
Fifth brightest star, used as brightness reference
🔴
Betelgeuse
Red supergiant in Orion, may explode soon
🌫️
Orion Nebula
Stellar nursery visible to naked eye
💥
Crab Nebula
Supernova remnant from 1054 AD
🦅
Eagle Nebula (Pillars of Creation)
Famous Hubble image of star-forming pillars
🌌
Andromeda Galaxy
Closest large galaxy, will merge with Milky Way
🔺
Triangulum Galaxy
Third largest in Local Group
🎩
Sombrero Galaxy
Distinctive dust lane galaxy
🌀
Whirlpool Galaxy
Classic spiral galaxy, first to be classified
🔭
GN-z11 Galaxy
One of most distant galaxies ever observed
💠
Distant Quasar
Supermassive black hole powering ancient galaxy
🌟
Cosmic Microwave Background
Afterglow of the Big Bang itself
🌌
Edge of Observable Universe
The furthest we can possibly see
Understanding Light Speed
What is Light Speed?
Light travels at exactly 299,792,458 meters per second in a vacuum. This is the cosmic speed limit - nothing can go faster.
Why Does It Matter?
Looking into space is looking back in time. The further away something is, the older the light we see. We're literally seeing the past.
Light-Year Explained
A light-year is the distance light travels in one year: about 9.46 trillion kilometers. It's a measure of distance, not time!
Einstein's Limit
Special relativity proves nothing with mass can reach light speed. As you approach it, time slows down and mass increases.