Light from fires that were lit at the time of the Battle of Hastings in England in a.d.1066 has traveled out into space at the speed of light.How far out into space has this light now reached,compared with the distances to the 20 brightest stars (see Appendix,Table C-6,Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.)?
A) beyond Sirius, but not beyond Betelgeuse, Rigel, and Deneb
B) beyond Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Rigel, but not beyond Deneb
C) beyond Sirius and Betelgeuse, but not beyond Rigel and Deneb
D) beyond Sirius, Betelgeuse, Rigel, and Deneb

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Battle of Hastings occurred in 1066, which is approximately 957 years ago. Light travels at about 5.88 trillion miles per year, so the light has traveled approximately 5,628 trillion miles. This distance is beyond Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Rigel, but not beyond Deneb, which is about 1,400 light-years away.

Light from Fires That Were Lit at the Time of the Battle