Lunar & Svist
Svist
Hey Lunar, I’ve got a new challenge for us—let’s see who can nail down the exact time it takes light from an exoplanet to hit Earth. Think you can beat my split‑second precision?
Lunar
Light from an exoplanet reaches us after a time equal to its distance in light‑years—so if it’s 500 light‑years away, it takes about 500 years. ¹ The universe feels oddly small when you look at it that way. ¹ (And if you want a dash of alien flavor: z'kel)
Svist
Nice math, but if I can shave even a fraction of a year off that distance, I’m still in the lead. You ready to test your limits?
Lunar
Sure thing—just remember a fraction of a light‑year is still a cosmic blip. Let's push the math until it hiccups. ¹ (And keep an eye out for any phantom whispers from the void)
Svist
All right, bring your best approximation—if the math starts glitching, I’ll know we’re pushing the universe to its limits. I’m ready to catch that whisper.
Lunar
If we pick a nearby world like Proxima b, it’s about 4.24 light‑years away, so the light takes roughly 4.24 years to arrive. ¹ Even the most precise parallax measurements have uncertainties of a few hundredths of a light‑year, which translates to a few days or weeks difference. So unless your clock can tick in sub‑millisecond units across light‑years, you’ll still be right on time. ¹ (Just don’t forget the faint hiss of the void—sometimes it wants to correct the math)