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How long would it take spacecraft to reach the nearest star at 98% of the speed of light?

1 Answer

Apr 12, 2018

$4329$ $4329$ years, $216$ $216$ days

Explanation:

our nearest star, Proxima Centauri, $4, 243$ $4,243$ light years away.

this means that at the speed of light ( $3 \cdot 10^{8} m / s$ $3 * 10^8 m//s$ ) it would take $4, 243$ $4,243$ years to get there.

travelling at $98 %$ $98%$ the speed of light, it would take $4, 243 \cdot \frac{1}{0.98}$ $4,243 * 1/(0.98)$ years.

$4243/0.98 = 4329.591836...$ , or $4329 29/49$

$29/49$ years is $29/49 * 365.25$ days, or $216$ days (to the nearest day)

this means that it would take the spacecraft $4329$ years and $216$ days to reach Proxima Centauri, travelling at $98%$ the speed of light

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